[Chris Nowak]

Political debates arent really a specialty of mine, or of FIRST. What you have stated their is your own political view of the situation. I really have no firm opinion on this issue, but I think you may be being a bit close minded about this. Wouldnt it be a waste for FIRST to reject $40,000 for a student, no matter who it is, just to prevent it from going to waste? Last I checked, FIRST didnt control who offers these things.

This is like the debate on affirmative action. Isnt it just another form of racism. If you look at minorities as a whole, I think that Affirmative action is right, the same goes for this. Right now, the minorities do have people working against them, subconciously or conciously. Average incomes of minorties and proabilities for them to go to college are lower than for white americans. So why shouldnt we give them a boost? That is the reasoning behing these types of things. I know I was pretty pissed when a kid I knew was admitted to U of M and I wasnt, he was half peruvian but had a lower GPA and ACT than me, and I didnt get in. However, the system is probably necessary if Minorities are ever going to get ahead in america.

Now, to look on the flip side, and look at the individual members of a minority, it becomes a little more blurry. That kid I knew, he wasnt ever being discriminated against in the slightest way. Most people didnt even know he was half peruvian, he looks like he just got a tan....and financially, his family is paying for his whole tuition. He doesnt need stuff like this, even though its easy for him to get. Also, taking this from the individual standpoint, in America, we preach equality, so shouldnt we practice it in everything we do?

I personally think that this is OK, FIRST is not the ones behind the scholarships, but without FIRST there would be no scholarships, and no 40 grand at all. I dont think its a move by FIRST to appear more diverse.

[edit] and Jesse Jackson? So what if he wants to come, its his freedom. Its not like first is endorsing him and all he does. IMO, FIRST invites everyone to come, they dont charge admission. I dont think thisis a big issue.