Wow... You always go for the hard hitting questions don't you?
Now for my answer, I do believe discrimination is wrong.
I also feel that this country in whole, as well as FIRST are making strides to correct this.
BUT, I feel it is being done in the wrong ways.
Case in point: This year in a certain regional one team was followed around the whole regional by the media who were attending the event just because, I believe, that they were an all girl team.
Now I believe that an all girl team is just as qualified to be in FIRST as an all boy team or an all black team, or an all white team, or even a mixed team.
BUT, is the way to change the old ways to just all at once emphasize the new?
I heard from a girl on my team that a member of the media came up to her and asker her flat out, "Are you a member of the all girl team?", and when she said no, they said, "Oh, OK", shrugged her off, and kept walking.
Like I said, I have no problem with an all girls competing, but when the main thing that got the media to attend was the inclusion of an all girls team, well then that is wrong.
Also, I personally felt like they got an award from the judges just because they were an all girls team as well.
Also, this year at the Kickoff, FIRST was guilty of this "rapid non-discriminating turn around" as well. The round table discussion this year featured two team members who came from an inner city gang, and were transformed by their involvement in FIRST.
I THINK THIS IS WONDERFUL!! But as I said before, why the rapid change in who is in the spotlight?
I know I might be biased because of the fact that I am the typical all-american white male, but this is just my opinion.
Discrimination is a two way street.
The words discrimination and minority does not only refer to blacks or women, but all races, creeds, sexes, and nationalities.
So even I as a typical all-american white male can be discriminated against, and considered the minority.