Thread: A Personal Look at Racial Preferences

While on the Subject: A Personal Look at Racial Preferences

Posted by Bobby Eberle
February 23, 2009 at 8:03 am
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In the previous administration, America had two black secretaries of state. In this administration, we have a black president and a black attorney general. Yet, when these officials talk about race, rather than uniting the country, they seek to look backward. Our esteemed attorney general even called us a nation of cowards? Is he for real?

Despite President Obama's assertions that he's "moved beyond race," he was quick to throw in reminders in his campaign of his racial background... or at least half of it. These comments and the fact that race has been in the news lately reminded me of the fact that I'm as much of a "minority" as our fine president is. I'm also just as "white" as he is. But rather than embracing a particular ethnic "identity" and using it to score points, what I'm most proud of is being an American.


In looking through some of my old writings, I found a column from five years ago. It sums up my thoughts on race -- in this case, racial preferences -- and my feelings that we in order to move forward, we must embrace being an American.

A Personal Look at Racial Preferences
By Bobby Eberle
January 20, 2003

As I listened to President Bush's remarks on national television regarding the use of racial preferences at the University of Michigan, I couldn't help but shake with excitement. There are few issues as divisive in this country as race, and there are few issues that touch me as personally.

Throughout my life, I have seen firsthand what racial preferences can do and how they affect individuals and families. No, I haven't been oppressed or "kept down" by "the man," but as someone who is half Hispanic, I have nonetheless seen and felt the emotional and literal effects of judging people by race.

Even early in my childhood, my sisters and I were taught that in order to achieve, you had to work. Hard work, drive, and determination (along with a little bit of smarts) were the keys to success. Never in a million years would race be considered part of that equation. If we kept our noses to the grindstone, we would succeed.

Of course, one of my first introductions to the fact that race matters was the endless forms we had to fill out in high school, college, and graduate school. There was that box that always popped up: White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander. Pacific Islander??? Anyway, being half Hispanic means that I'm also half White, so whenever it came to choosing a race, I chose White.

I chose White, not because I'm anti-Hispanic -- which I'm not. If that were the case, I'd hate half my family -- which I don't. In fact, I greatly admire the work ethic and sense of family that are demonstrated by many Hispanic families and individuals. No, I chose White, because I knew in doing so, I'd be judged on merit. No one gives bonus points to a White person.

In the last semester of high school, I remember gathering for our Awards Assembly. All the students in the school met in the gym, and the principal announced honors such as valedictorian, salutatorian, scholarship winners, and so on. As a special recognition, the high-ranking students were seated in chairs on the gym floor right in front of the stage. I doubt they'd group kids by class rank anymore, but they did for this assembly.

For a while, it was an enjoyable gathering as my peers (fellow "smart kids") collected awards and scholarships. Then, the principal announced the next scholarship. It was a $10,000 scholarship to the University of Texas. Wow! Ten thousand bucks. That sure beats the $500 scholarships we were getting. When the name of the recipient was called, the collective jaws of the "smart kids" hit the floor. The winner didn't come from our group at the front. No... the winner came from the middle of the pack, and he received the scholarship for one reason: he was Hispanic.

During the summer following my freshman year of college, I went with my mom to visit my grandmother. At the time, my grandmother, Isabel Perez, was a housekeeper for a rancher and his wife in a small Texas town. I was standing next to my grandmother as she told her employer that I was going to college and was going to be an engineer. The woman's response was, "That's nice, but I'm sure he got in because he's Mexican."

I couldn't believe it! I could feel my face start to tighten and my fists clench as her words soaked in. Did I just hear what I thought I heard? Doesn't she know that I'm one of the "smart kids?" Doesn't she know that I checked the "White" box??? Rather than say anything, I just stood there quietly, but the impact was felt. I'll never forget those words.

Why someone would want to get rewarded for being of a particular race, I'll never know. What I do know is that the practice of racial preferences must come to an end.

America cannot end discrimination by discriminating; we cannot yearn for a colorblind society and then base contracts, admissions, and employment on race; America cannot be true to the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., when he hoped his children would "not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character" until we actually look past skin color and take a good look at character.

There is hope for America to get beyond the racial issue, but it will take some time. The clock won't start running, however, until we see race for what it is: a birthright, not a government grant.

My father died when I was 15. My mother had no college education, and was immediately thrown into a role which she could have never anticipated. My childhood was over at that minute. Yet, we did not moan or wallow or blame anyone for our situation. We got through it, by believing in our family and by believing in the American dream.

Liberals love to remind us about the injustices of the past. How about looking at the realities of today, and the promise of tomorrow? So much has been gained. There is more to do, but we can only achieve it by harnessing the power of what unites us, rather than constantly focusing on what divides us.


http://www.gopusa.com/theloft/?p=978

I couldn't agree more!

Ditto!

Black people were discriminated against long ago in our country, now white people are being dumped on. We as our country worked to change the inequities that blacks recieved, and I believe if we can have an honest dialog about white people being discriminated against, we could correct this imbalance, as well.

However, the biggest threat Americans of ALL races have right now, is the illegals invasion. We must put our differences aside ( TBC/to be continued and worked out at another time) as we ALL need to pull together and focus our collective energy on insisting that our government enforce our laws and abide by our constituion. And send illegals to their home countries.

For a while, it was an enjoyable gathering as my peers (fellow "smart kids") collected awards and scholarships. Then, the principal announced the next scholarship. It was a $10,000 scholarship to the University of Texas. Wow! Ten thousand bucks. That sure beats the $500 scholarships we were getting. When the name of the recipient was called, the collective jaws of the "smart kids" hit the floor. The winner didn't come from our group at the front. No... the winner came from the middle of the pack, and he received the scholarship for one reason: he was Hispanic.

Ya, it's frustrating to do everything right, work your but off and watch someone else get the rewards simply based on race. I know at my own daughters graduation, there was 1 white student who got a scholarship...it was from the armed services. Everyone else had their special group for their special people and race was the issue, not performance. There were a couple non-race specific groups and minorities got those as well....but they deserved it. That was the only fair, performance based, scholarships given. It's just disheartning to have 3 non-race based scholarships in which all students have a shot.....and a dozen more set aside for just race specific groups in which no others are allowed to compete or get. Being white is no instant in....if anything it's a guarenteed out, unless you're extra special or have ties and money.

There was this one black guy who got the big scholarship. Full 4 year scholarship and it wasn't for athletics, but for outstanding scholastic work. That arena roared......from the students and from the parents. There was no doubt in anyones mind that he deserved it and would bend over backwards to make full use of it. Raised by a single mom and everything, but she instilled a very strong sense of morals and values and he was focused since he was little......don't think he ever veered off the path or even thought about it. I would hate to think of a time in which someone as special as he was was denied anything based on race.....no more than I like seeing kids of my own race who are just as special and are denied now because of their race.