Hey, Roaming! So, my dad mentioned one of those privilege thought exercises where it has people in a line and then they ask questions, take a step forward and back, etc. I was surprised he totally believes in privilege. I am of the opinion that the US is extremely privileged as a whole in comparison to other nations. So, barring that fact, I want to argue that poverty is the common denominator, not race, in terms of a metric of success or privilege. The census statistics for the "poorest cities in America" showed places with a high black population. I looked at it at a rural level, too. No one can deny that people who are so far removed from modern society are underprivileged when the median income was like $9000. Long story short, 47% (more than any other group) of those poorest places were predominantly black. Like 66% of them were US-minority majority places. I can't exactly deny that. I tried to look for some kind of racial break down of specifically the poor in those tiny places, but the Census didn't have them openly available. But I also couldn't find any sort of indicator of cost of living in those places. I also can't think of a reason other than maybe the systemic racist people might actually have a point about there being a disproportionate amount of poverty amongst black people in comparison to white people. If it's not some kind of racism at the root of the problem, what is? I'm pretty stumped. For me the numbers are starting to actually suggestive to the SJWs having a point, but then again as someone more concerned with endangered fish populations than human populations, I'm a little out of my element here so I'm looking to you for any kind of opinion or insight. Just like in ecological niches I can only assume there are n-dimensional variables acting on whether or not people are successful. My metric for success or this perception of privilege is completely flawed, but even so, the trend is startling. Damn, I kind of want to stick to looking at fish. Fish make more sense to me than social stuff.
@Segev Isn't that what public schools do? Why can't we make sure all public schools are getting equal funding and be done with it?
@EllenC Maybe take a look at the schools demographics vs the general population?
In the end, the best way to help people is to provide opportunities for those who are not meeting qualifications to find ways TO meet them. Courses in material they're deficient in in places they can go to take them seem the most likely to help with university admissions, for instance. These all can be 100% color-blind, because they only need to measure competency, and only need to help gain that competency where it's lacking. You help nobody by lowering the bar based on their skin color. You only help them by giving them training to enable them to leap over the same bar as everybody else.
I think those numbers are actually the really important ones. If you look at the way minorities are highly selected and admitted to universities vs how many actually finish their degrees, it's another startling number. It seems fine and good to admit for the sake of diversity, but are you admitting someone who has no place being there simply so you can say look at all these Mexicans we have aren't we inclusive. If you're taking people who aren't ready simply because they're minorities all you're doing is putting financial hardship on them in the form of paying back student loans for a degree they never got and couldn't afford in the first place... :S So when things get rough I find myself really wondering about affirmative action and if it shot me in the foot or if I can actually do it.
@EllenC wow, that must really bump up the 'imposter syndrome'. but, even if someone did get in as a token, it's their own hard work and smarts that will get them to graduation, right? try to remember that :-)
That's the thing though Armadillo.... Did I get in on merit or the color of my skin? I will never know!! It's heartbreaking to think about. Did I get in because I'm awesome? Or am I token Mexican?? I try not to think about it because it actually does hurt too much to think about.