FIRST On A Disturbing Path

FIRST General Forum
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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.

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*Originally posted by DCaldwell05BCP *
**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.
**

Be aware that to some, this sounds a lot like you don’t believe those minorities were qualified to be doing whatever it is they were doing.

I know that’s probably not your intent, but your message can be interpreted that way. I don’t know that FIRST has gone to any special length to appear politically correct, except that part of its mission to provide new opportunities to people who wouldn’t otherwise have them. That’s what being a minority often means, right? Being in a minority gives the plurality an excuse to deny you opportunity. FIRST tries to change that.

**

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. **

Jesse Jackson visited the pit of the team I’d been working with and they were aware he’d be doing so in advance. (They being the team.)

They were aware he was coming. Beyond that, I can’t speak with any authority.

EDIT: Parenthesis added for clarity.

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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.

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Be aware that to some, this sounds a lot like you don’t believe those minorities were qualified to be doing whatever it is they were doing.

THAT IS NOT MY INTENTION. I am confident that it will not be interrupted that way because I know that those who participate in FIRST are above that. You all know what I am trying to say.

Jesse Jackson visited the pit of the team I’d been working with and they were aware he’d be doing so in advance.

I hope that FIRST does not invite Al Sharpton and David Duke next.

Like I said before, Jackson is not someone that FIRST should be associating with.

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Don’t worry so much. Everything is politics these days. You can’t expect to keep a organization like this running without politics. You did see both the texas governor and speaker of the house at the event. The world we live in is much more political than you like to think and for the FIRST to make the changes they wish to they have to embrace the politics that go along. As to the minority thing, have you looked into the engineering field. It is dominated by white males. FIRST is meant to inspire people who would not normally enter the engineering field aka minorities and women. That does not however leave us WASP behind the pack. We have already made it in the engineering world and their are many awards based on your merit. I’m going to Kansas State on free tuition, books, and fees just on that. The experience of FIRST is way more thrilling than any scholarship money could be. Again, you can’t forget that FIRST is all about inspiring the people that have not considered a technology field. Feel great that you have personally found a interest that you are able to pursue in college and will even without scholarship money.

Jesse Jackson’s personal life has nothing to do with the inspiration he has given many people. If you saw the change in the pits when he walked through them, you would know what I mean as to inspiration.

And FIRST is not about robots, it is politics. Through competition I have seen every part of the political process. The most obvious is the continual lobbying that takes play throughout the pit area. By noon on saturday we could not see our table because of all the teams handouts. This is what FIRST is. It could be better but I haven’t heard anyone complain about all the handouts.

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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.

I remember after 9/11 that Rudy Guiliani rejected a 10 million dollar check from a Saudi prince to the 9/11 victims fund after the prince blamed the 9/11 attacks after on Israel. God knows that New York could of used that money, but Guiliani knew that you can’t just accept money from everybody.

I pose this question: What if someone got to together and offered a scholarship for white students only? What would happen? FIRST wouldn’t advertise it because it is wrong to offer someone money just because they were born into a certain racial group. That is rascism.

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Don’t worry so much. Everything is politics these days. You can’t expect to keep a organization like this running without politics. You did see both the texas governor and speaker of the house at the event. The world we live in is much more political than you like to think and for the FIRST to make the changes they wish to they have to embrace the politics that go along. As to the minority thing, have you looked into the engineering field. It is dominated by white males. FIRST is meant to inspire people who would not normally enter the engineering field aka minorities and women. That does not however leave us WASP behind the pack. We have already made it in the engineering world and their are many awards based on your merit. I’m going to Kansas State on free tuition, books, and fees just on that. The experience of FIRST is way more thrilling than any scholarship money could be. Again, you can’t forget that FIRST is all about inspiring the people that have not considered a technology field. Feel great that you have personally found a interest that you are able to pursue in college and will even without scholarship money.

The governor of Texas and Speaker of the House were there as elected representatives of the people of Texas. They were representing the people of Texas at that FIRST event.

When many people saw Jackson, they were revolted. I saw many different reactions when he showed and I saw no reason for him to be there. He was there for himself and his own image.

Now, nobody wants FIRST to be the subject of the next O’Reilly Factor! lol.

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*Originally posted by DCaldwell05BCP *
**I remember after 9/11 that Rudy Guiliani rejected a 10 million dollar check from a Saudi prince to the 9/11 victims fund after the prince blamed the 9/11 attacks after on Israel. God knows that New York could of used that money, but Guiliani knew that you can’t just accept money from everybody.

I pose this question: What if someone got to together and offered a scholarship for white students only? What would happen? FIRST wouldn’t advertise it because it is wrong to offer someone money just because they were born into a certain racial group. That is rascism. **

but what the heck is your motivation offering a scholarship for white students? White students are not underpriveleged on the whole. They are the dominating class in american society. I dont think they need more help.

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Jesse Jackson really has no place at Nats, IMO…

Historically, he’s nothing more than a troublemaker (in the BAD, non “Martin Luther King, Jr.” way)…

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You seem surprised by the fact there were scholarships that targeted specific people. As a white, middle class, male looking for college 2 years ago I did a little research. At a certain website i di a search for myself for scholarships i got 27 results. After changing myself to a minority I got 71 results. And as a female minority 94. Needless to say I complained about it, and once I got to college joked about it with all my other white middle class male classmates. We plan on starting a white middle class male scholarship fund in a few years(j/k).

There is currently a case in supreme court in which some people are sueing michigan state for giving favor to minorities. If they rule in favor of the people more than likely there will be a domino effect to these scholarships.

I’ve been very happy to see the number of scholarships increase alot over the past few years. Maybe with all these colleges getting teams there will be active recruiting like there are for football and basketball.

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*Originally posted by Chris Nowak *
**but what the heck is your motivation offering a scholarship for white students? White students are not underpriveleged on the whole. They are the dominating class in american society. I dont think they need more help. **

Just because your white doesn’t mean your rich. Scholarships for the underpriveleged are what we need, not scholarships for a certain race.

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I agre with the first post here. I hope that FIRST doesn’t turn out to be a flaming liberal stinkhole like so many educational organizations have. I am white. Does that mean that I? don’t get money for college?

I seems to me that racial specific scolarships like the one offered (now supported by “civil rights” leaders) is what was fought so hard to abolish in the south just a few decades ago, just reversed.

FIRST is great organization…but its not political.

At FIRST, our only colors are red or blue. And we are only those for two minutes!

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*Originally posted by Caleb Fulton *
**Jesse Jackson really has no place at Nats, IMO…

Historically, he’s nothing more than a troublemaker (in the BAD, non “Martin Luther King, Jr.” way)… **

Amen to that.

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but what the heck is your motivation offering a scholarship for white students? White students are not underpriveleged on the whole. They are the dominating class in american society. I dont think they need more help.

Are you saying that all white students have middle-income, 2 parent families with no problems? Please tell me that you don’t honestly believe what you just said…

It’s should not be a race issue at all, despite what the “reverend” Jessie Jackson would have you believe. Scholarship money of this type should go to students of low-income, broken, or challenged families–of ANY race.

I’m actually revolted that JJ showed up, knowing his history when it comes to using race to gain leverage in political/financial schemes that get their power from short-sighted, overly-emotional, idealist people. The best thing to do in this situation, in my opinion, would be to ignore him…

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Let’s all remember that when the minorities begin to get overpriviledged, the majorities begin to become the minorities. I don’t mean to say this in any racist, discriminant or unfair way. I like to be as fair and equal as possible. However, who’s to say that one race should get a bigger scholarship just because there are fewer of their kind? To me, that is going against the majority.

Oh, why does it all go back to the issue of money?

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Originally posted by Chris Nowak *
** 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.*

Well, it wouldn’t hurt for the white folks to stop creating conditions that make such a dichotomy exist, either.

Some folks think affirmative action type programs are reverse discrimination. Some think they’re good at providing opportunities to people who don’t get them by circumstance. Or, it could be that the white folks are trying to make everyone forget the oppression they created in the first place by throwing minorities a bone and implementing affirmative action. It’s certainly the best way to maintain the status quo without saying, “Hey, we deserve this more than you, but we don’t want you to make a fuss about it.”

It’s all a matter of perspective and interpretation, I guess. It gets messy when the thoughts and feelings of entire groups are in question.

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I am white, and I am a minority in my school (~65% African-American, 35% other), but I won’t get any minority scholarships.

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I feel that this is more of an opinion thread on current politics than FIRST. Saying that JJ is ‘scum’ and then saying FIRST is responsable for it is sad.

Your comments boarderline racest. They remind me of the southern Republican ads of the early 90s where they said that minorities didn’t deserve jobs that they were given high up.

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Some folks think affirmative action type programs are reverse discrimination. Some think they’re good at providing opportunities to people who don’t get them by circumstance. Or, it could be that the white folks are trying to make everyone forget the oppression they created in the first place by throwing minorities a bone and implementing affirmative action. It’s certainly the best way to maintain the status quo without saying, “Hey, we deserve this more than you, but we don’t want you to make a fuss about it.”

History has proven that throwing money at people who complain will not solve problems. It’s socially equivalent to treating the symptoms, not the cause. One’s life does not begin when they go to college; the “opportunity” with which minorities should be endowed should come at earlier stages in their life. If they are not qualified by the time they get to college to, in fact, attend college without a preference because of their race, they should not be admitted. This is not to say, however, that programs during the FIRST (get it?) stages of their education would be out of line or innefective.

It comes down to this: Racism is not about money anymore unless you are someone like Jessie Jackson; it is about a deep-seeded social divide that is perpetuated by those who seek to CONTINUE to derive power from its propagation (Jessie Jackson).

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*Originally posted by Caleb Fulton *
**Are you saying that all white students have middle-income, 2 parent families with no problems? Please tell me that you don’t honestly believe what you just said…

**

No, all white families do not have middle income, two parent families. They do have problens. But they are not discriminated against at all as a whole. Minorities as a whole do have it worse off than Whites, because we are dominant, and we do discriminate, whether it be consciously or subconciously. If we want equality for the groups on a whole we need to bring the minorities forward in some way, cuz its not happening right now. This is one of those ways.

I’m certainly not saying you restrict all scholarships to being racialy biased toward minoritys.

Arent there a lot of scholarships for the underpriveleged as well?