Isn't this a little racist

[lord1234]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/EDUCATION/01/22/king.controversy.ap/index.html

little bit racist dont you think? amazing that in our PC world, African American means BLACK. Might as well call this award the N award. If i was born in Africa, to white parents, i would think that I could deserve an "African American" award. I hope this kid sues the pants off the school.

[Cryer]

Thats crap, dude. I would already have a lawyer.

[ZAust]

that is indeed garbage. was the student not from africa?

[Zygote]

You're arguing semantics. The way its being used, African American doesn't mean "Americans from Africa", it means "Americans of African descent". The same way Irish-American means someone whose ancestors came from Ireland. I'm sure there are black people living in Ireland but you can bet they aren't indigenous. White people in living in Africa are originally from Europe. Maybe someday there will be a European-American by way of Africa month and he can get an award for that.

[AFRaven]

I agree Zygote, however, if one were to trace their lineage ALL the way to the beginning of humanity, religion aside, we could all be traced to Africa. So, that makes me African-American too.

It's the same way with "Native Americans", they are no more native to this continent then I am, they have just been here longer. They came from Asia.

[shartley]

The award has been given the last eight years to an outstanding black student as part of the school's Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration, she said.

[ShooterJM]

hehehe that's great! So the only kid there who is actually from africa can't win the award and gets punished for trying to win it!

Anyone want to guess the public outcry over the establishment of a white achievment award?

Disgusting really.

[MarkM]

PC is one thing but it rarely flows the other way as in this case, regardless of the goals of the civil rights movement. Here in the UK we have celebrations given for St David (Welsh patron saint) St Patrick (Irish patron saint) and St Andrew (Scottish patron saint) but although some bars ask for special extended hours for St Georges (English patron saint) they are told that to celebrate the day is not allowed in the same way as the other days as it would be a racist thing as we are the United Kingdom, so despite that fact that the other saints days are celebrated and bar extensions are granted the English are effectively banned from celebrating their own saints day. Double standards whichever way you look at it.
So just to show that things are like this the world over. It doesn't matter that the group may be a minority (not in the above example though) they get to have things their way, in very general terms western countries bend over backwards to accomodate minoritys but the areas from where these minoritys come from don't return the favour....Saudi Arabia for one very prominate example. PC is ok when applied to boths sides of the example...I don't agree with the politics of some people within the US (you know who I mean) but they do have a right to their beliefs...actions no but beliefs yes, a true demorcratic society should allow both sides the same freedoms but it doesn't happen, as when something doesn't go the way of a minoritys (of any colour or creed) they shout "foul" and the local and national goverment bends...but only it would seem in western countries

[dansim]

sure wish we had a united european-american college fund

[Python14]

but that would be racist.

It's hard to get an award or scholarship if you are white and of european-ancestory. It really is because the people who give these scholarships are scared to death that someone who didn't get it will play that oh so hated race card and then all hell breaks loose.

Sometimes even I feel discriminated against.

[personman]

Oh yeah? Well if I'm not mistaken one of the theorys about evolution is all humans origionated in africa, then branched out onto different continents, and adapted to their surroundings (cold = white peoples hot = white peoples, I guess)..
Well, if thats true, then we are all African Americans

[PyRo]

I can prove that my great great great (give or take a great I don't know offhand) grandmother was a slave, can I apply for one of these scholarships?

I don't think these scholarships are right at all. What would happen if someone wanted to start a European scholarship fund? My opinion on this whole thing is that the general idea of a African American scholoarship, or any other group based on eithnic backround isn't right, especially in a public school.

I went to a private (Lutheran) school. I got a scholarship through some christian organization that three people from my school each year get. One of the other three who got it wasn't christian, thats how it should be in my opinion.

[than205]

Originally posted by shartley

[gimp]

well, I was to lazy to read any other posts, but man, I think giving anyone a reward because of their race is stupid. I dont care what it's for. You shouldn't feel special because your another color or race. It's not like you worked for it. Your born that way. If you want special treatment because of how god made you then ...... hmmmmm. I think we should get rid of all 'special race days'. sorry, /end rant.

[davidb]

To the people arguing that it's because he could not trace his heritage back to Africa: I would have thought so too, (or rather, I would have thought that would be their excuse) but that is simply not so. Only BLACK students are eligible for these awards, not Egyptian Americans, Lybian Americans, etc. Awards like this are given based on skin color, not heritage. They could at least be honest and call it an award for "blacks", you know?