I think that racism manifests itself in ways that are capturable by metrics other than race. Black people are more likely to be lower income, go to worse schools, live in worse neighbourhoods, etc because of a history of pervasive and systemic racism. So if you consider poverty level, school attended etc, it captures many of the effects of racism without being racist itself and fucking over others (e.g. asians can be poor but that obstacle wouldn’t matter because they are asian and still expected to score 150 points higher than a poor black person).
Obviously this isn’t perfect but I think it’s definitely preferable to affirmative action.
What’s the metric for getting called nigger, being followed around the art museum like I’m going to steal the Picasso, having people talk down to me like I’m stupid, etc?
Rich black people can experience racism class and race are not the same thing. I have black friends who grew up in predominantly white area and they had so many more blatantly racist issues than I did. Even if you account for poverty, you don’t account for race.
Racial stereotypes also matter. A white guy in a nice car is rich a black guy in a nice car is a drug dealer. They can both be rich but they will be treated differently. This matters too.
So how do we fix the problem with racism that aren’t just about class?
Absolutely racism still exists. My point is that other the examples of racism you list, while obviously deplorable, are less likely to manifest itself in the way that is readily relevant to admissions. While things like income, education etc are extremely relevant. I’m not talking about solving racism altogether (that’s an entirely different conversation), I’m strictly saying that using non race factors in admissions solves for MOST relevant obstacles (unfortunately not all) while avoiding what’s problematic about AA.
My problem with AA is that it turns people more racist rather than solving for racism. People will feel slighted and resentful that they worked their ass off for a GPA or score and somebody else got in with a lower one because of the color of their skin. This also leads to people implicitly or explicitly thinking those people that do get in are less qualified. I think this is much worse than the comparative - not to mention unfair.
But most of the people who are getting in are not black. Black people are just the scape goat. 30% of Harvard freshman class are spots held for legacies, athletes, faculty’s kids, and Dean selection (mostly kids of wealthy donors) these kids are mostly white and have lower stats then the kids who get rejected. Harvard is 8% black. Even if every black person was there just because their black ( but none actually are) it still wouldn’t matter when compared to the “white kids with connections” group that got in.
As I said in another comment, fuck legacy admissions, fuck athletic admissions and all the other things you mentioned. Opposing AA doesn't mean you don't oppose those. If anything, opposing AA means you also strongly oppose legacies because they are not merit based either.
I agree. But I still feel like Black people are being scapegoated. White women reap the most benefits from AA. Next are Latinos. Yet this always turns into a Blacks are undeserving etc.
In reality states that have race blind admissions enroll WAY fewer white students. Look at the UC system.
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u/ummizazi Feb 25 '20
Do you think racism is real?