I've always wanted to ask this question. Please see inside for details.?

Question

Why is OK to have a "Black college or university", but if white people said this about say, (for example) Yale, being a "White university" the NAACP would grab their heaviest of artillery (Al Sharpton) and be ready for battle. I don't get it. Aren't people perpetuating the history of injustice, segregration and inequality that Blacks endured in the US by claiming some colleges as "black", some scholarships as "black. and etc? I mean, if a peaceful White supremacist orginazation decided to fund a scholarship just for students of Germanic descent, it probably would not be able to even be publicized in the schools. Why not? The NAACP has several scholarships, and one could argue that they are just "peaceful" black supremacists. Why the double standard if people are really working so hard to unite? Why can't we all just be people? Jeez...

And yes smartasses, I am Black.

Dina B...Please be aware, there are MANY drug rehabilitation centers, offering free of charge help for addictions and detox. Look one up in a city nearest you. Your answer makes no sense. Put the pipes down.

Answer 1

I've wondered the same thing, too. I don't know this for a fact, but I assume that if a white kid wants to go to a traditionally black college, s/he would be considered on the same academic basis as a black applicant. At least, I hope that's the case!

You could go on and on about this: There is a Black Democratic Caucus in Congress but not a similar white version. Could you imagine the uproar if there was?

I'm very much in favor of equality and diversity, but tread carefully on affirmative action. It may have its place in certain situations but is not a panacea. On the other hand, if a group of blacks want to get together to discuss black issues, that's fine with me. I don't see the difference between that and a group of Catholics getting together in church Sunday morning to discuss spiritual issues.

Answer 2

That is right with all things the minority seems to start getting rights the majority does not. It would be considered raciest if someone would make an All White University. Honestly I think the reason is that no one complains. In other words when there were places that only Whites could go Blacks protested. Today there are places that only Blacks can go and I never hear of any whites protesting. It should not be either way there should just be Universities not Black, not White, not all Men, not all Woman. Just a school for anyone wanting to learn. Simple as that...

Answer 3

To answer the underlying question, we can't "all just be people" because not everyone lives in the Utopia that you assume America and the rest of the world is. The hard fast truth is that racism still exists, whether we like to recognize it or not. Injustice and prejudice still exist and there are still several institutionalized remnants that plague minorities today.

You also ask about schools proclaiming themselves as "white universities." It goes without saying that mainstream schools are "white universities." Just look at the numbers! For a state funded school to blatantly say that ANY race is excluded from admission would be unconstitutional. Historically Black colleges and universities actually give out HUGE scholarships to white applicants, because they are minorities on the campus. It's all about diversity.

The bottom line is thus: as much as you and I would love to have a colorblind society, in which there is no advantage given to anyone based on color, the stark reality is that just isn't here yet. And until it exists and all races are on a level playing field socially, we're going to need historically black colleges and universities and scholarships which benefit minorities.

Don't drink the koolaid of politicans who patronize minorities by saying, "Affirmative Action is an antiquated crutch that minorities don't need." They say these things to repudiate what gains minorities have made through the years and make the chasm educational and earning power between the races even larger. Sure, the words sound great in a utopian vacuum, but reality tells a completely different story.

Answer 4

There will never be an answer to this question for the simple fact that the history behind this anomaly lies within the moral conscience of America...

Lets flip this whole issue for a second...suppose that America was founded and established by Blacks--leaving the entire structure of America as it stands today--good and bad--in a Black dominated society, would it seem almost redundant to refer to any facet of that society as 'Black'? Any other race seeking to distinguish themselves from a predominately Black society would understandably apply a label of their particular national origin--especially if that race had to overcome a society that supported exclusion rather than inclusion. I fully agree with you as far as the 'color designation' of both universities and scholarships causing unnecessary friction among ALL peoples of these United States, but that does not even begin to explain the uniqueness of the history of Black people in America. For every Black that claims discrimination there is a racist in practice of it. For every White or just about every other nationality that has decided to judge according to character, along comes the Stereotype and shoots all progress to sh*t. Some say that the cure to this dilemma is to not talk about it...I disagree. I believe that it should be taught everyday, worldwide, as the HISTORY of America and not the ongoing IMAGE of America. A person's color gives no power to his cause--only his drive to make it happen beats ground level...

btw... any time (insert race here)supremacy is used in a sentence it pretty much kicks 'peaceful' out the door...

Answer 5

Yes, racism is still being perpetuated by races other than white. Apparently, they just can't let go of the past; and if the details were truly examined, it would be discovered that us white males 18-50 are now the minority. Odd that many of us don't scream 'racism.'

I applaud you, a non-white, for pointing this out. It takes courage to say what you did. It's not popular in many circles, as evidenced by some of the answers you will receive.

Answer 6

Hi Jellybean. I'm not sure there ARE anymore "black" colleges in existence. In fact, Howard University right here in DC used to be a prominent "black" college, but you'll find Asians, white people, Italians...all ethnicities there. I think people everywhere realized the same double standard segregation you mentioned and properly accepted all.

Answer 7

I have seen scholarships advertised for people of Italian, Polish, German, etc. descent at the school that my mother works at and at other schools in the area. If its not part of your descent you probably wouldn't even notice them or think to ask about them but they are there as well as the scholarships for the NAACP.

Answer 8

I'd say people feel guilty about all that we did to the Blacks, or any other race, I suppose. So we let things be, thinking if we shut up, people will forget and forgive. Same thing with sexism, you know. Women are allowed to have "women only" places, but if men were to forbid a woman to do something, oh the havoc that would raise!

Answer 9

Great question and great answers and it doesn't matter what color you are when asking. There is a bigger question with-in your question, I'm not sure how to phrase it so I'll give the fact: Arizona white population just became a minority and I hear California is next. OK, I'm laughing in advance at all the immigration and cowboy jokes. Just a thought: can we expect to see the NAAWP?

Answer 10

I tend to agree with you and I'm white with very little prejudice bones in my body and they aren't color issues. I am a single mom of 4 kids whose dads never thought about their food on the table much less how they were getting to college. Luckily they didn't inherit that lazy a-- drive and we worked together to achieve two of them so far to higher education with 2 more to go . I went for help. there's none for single white mom's with bum ex's either. No school, no money, no help, and god forbid if you try to make a better wage, no assistance from the state either.