From: dasaxe@milton.u.washington.edu (Daniel Perreault)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.college
Subject: Re: Prop 48...
Date: 27 Jul 92 21:01:46 GMT
Article-I.D.: u.1992Jul27.210146.8392
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle

In article <1992Jul26.173725.8407@tamsun.tamu.edu> garys@cs.tamu.edu (Gary Wayne 'Goober' Smith) writes:
>(I know I should just keep my mouth shut, but I'm not known for doing that.)
>
>In article <1992Jul26.085754.11456@u.washington.edu> dasaxe@milton.u.washington.edu (Daniel Perreault) writes:
>>...the racism in that remark is against
>>people who make no effort to improve from their position in life, and then
>>complain because their life sucks...
>>... There are plenty of blacks, hispanics, asians and any
>>number of other races who get squashed by the system we are under
>>...
>
>You make some good points.  But, in reading your article I find the basis to
>be "All of us minorities are being squashed by the evil system but
>my group is able to beat it, so the system is good."
>
>So, which is it...is the system bad, or is the system good?  Should the
>system be changed so there is less squashing or should the system stay
>the same?
>
>I'll admit to having a little background and bias in the area, having heard
>arguments along the same lines from my the wife's relatives, who happen to
>be fairly close to your stated group...and who's inbred 'cultural superiority'
>over other minority groups makes me gag...until they feel that they are
>being squashed, of course, then they are just another oppressed minority.
>
>- goober (hopefully, i've pissed off everyone) smith
>
>ps: goobers are being squashed by the system too!!!
>    But we're able to beat it...long live the system.


Well, then I have not made myslef clear. First of all this is going way beyond
the scope of the original SAT issue, but...

In general my point is that the system is not equal. There are cultural biases
at most levels. I personally have been fairly successful at beating it
because I worked pretty hard at it to do so. I appreciate, applaud and try
to help those others coming along who are also working to try to improve
themselves regardless of race. I look down pretty hard at people who don't
really try to improve there situation, but instead want the system to be
changed so that the system improves their quality of life and education and
such without haveing to work. I personally do think the system should be
changed so that all of us can compete at the same game with everyone getting
an equal chance to compete. If I lose under those conditions I can accept it.
That's why I am not a pro basketball player.

In specific, my point on the Prop. 48 is that making a minimum requirement
for the SAT to be able to play as a freshman is not unreasonable, since
the score is so low, that anyone should be able to get it. I do not deny
that the test is to some extent biased, but the cut off is not competatively
based. So a person who really wants to "pass" it and takes the time to  
prepare should be able to do so. I would like to see improvements in the
SAT, but barring that, a 700 flat requirement is one that I think should
be low enough to compenstate for being discriminated against. Remember,
no minority group averages less than 700 points in high school, it just
varies against other groups. It maybe harder for some to get 700 than others,
everyone should be able to do it.

Oh, and to me superiority is a personal thing, an I'm better than him he is
better than the other type issue. I try to stay away from race distinctions
especially intellectually because there are too many exceptions.


Dan
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.college