FIRST On A Disturbing Path

[DCaldwell05BCP]

*The following post is my opinion only, not that of Team 991 as a whole.*

This year was my second year participating in FIRST and I must say that I have never had more fun in my entire life. The competetion was fun and I enjoyed to the many different people I met at the competetion. I hope to enjoy many more years participating in FIRST as a student and maybe even as a mentor.

However, I noticed a very disturbing trend taking place in FIRST this year, something that I don't notice last year. It all began at the Arizona Regional. Mr. Sanghi (who I thank for helping bring FIRST to Arizona) was announcing various scholarships. There were several scholarships totalling a few thousand dollars each. However, there was one scholarship that was larger then the rest. Forty thousand dollars if my memory serves me right, ten times larger then the ones mentioned before..... and it was only avalible to those of Hispanic heritage. That means no people of European, African, or Asian descent could apply for this scholarship. I did not believe that FIRST would offer (or advertise) a scholarship like this. I thought FIRST would be above segregating and excluding students because of their heritage. This would not be the end however. Going on to San Jose, this trend continued. FIRST seemed to be overly concerned with their image and with diversity. At the Nationals in the opening video, the majority of people speaking in the video were minorities. I believe that diversity will come naturally and that you can't force it, but FIRST obviously doesn't agree with me. FIRST obviously wants to be seen as Politically Correct and seems to be less concerned with educating and inspiring all students and just interested in educating and inspiring students with a certain skin color.

The most disturbing event was the appearance of Jesse Jackson at the Nationals. Jesse Jackson is pure scum and there is no doubt it about. Jackson uses extortion to rob corporations of billions under the guise of using the funds to help minorities when most of the money ends up in the hands of his friends and himself. Jackson has been under the investigation of the IRS and has openly admitted to having affairs with other women and has fathered an illegimate child. Jackson paid the mother of this child to keep the story quiet.

When I saw Mr. Jackson, I was worried about FIRST. Jesse Jackson is not above showing up at events with media uninvited and unannounced. I would not be surprised if FIRST had no idea that Jackson was coming. However, a question arose in my mind: Is Jesse Jackson extorting FIRST for money by threatening to defame FIRST and accuse them of being rascist? If Jackson is extorting FIRST (just like he has extorted many of FIRST's sponsors) for money in the name of minorities? These are serious questions that we FIRST teams must answer. FIRST cannot be associated with people like Jesee Jackson. FIRST is in danger of becoming a political special interest group on the same level with Jackson's Rainbow Coalition.

FIRST can change its path and reject these policies. FIRST can embrace all students, regardless of race, and FIRST can be about Robots, not about politics.