There is a new racially motivated scandal in the United States
A university lecturer has been sacked for refusing to arrange a light exam for black students. Although the years of slavery, apartheid, Lynch trials and discrimination seem to be in the distant past, many are convinced that racism is still thriving in the country. Only this time it’s the white population that’s complaining about the bullying.
“Make the tests easier.”
“I suffered emotionally and physically. I was treated by a GP, a gastroenterologist and a psychiatrist”, – says Gordon Klein, a lecturer at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Last year, an African-American student sent him a letter on the eve of his final exams asking him “to show mercy to black students, who are already struggling after the death of George Floyd and mass BLM protests,” and to allow them to take what is known as a harmless exam. This is when only a good score counts.
The teacher recalled the constitutional ban on racial preferences in public education.
“What am I supposed to do if a student is mestizo? Half black, half Asian? What if he’s white but originally from Minneapolis? Do they concede completely or only half? I think it will be even more difficult for a white student from this city, as some may accuse him of racism”, – he replied.
By the evening, 20,000 signatures had been collected demanding his dismissal. He was suspended, then reinstated, but the scandal has badly damaged his reputation. The law firms he was advising stopped cooperating with him. And that was the lion’s share of income.
White means racist
A similar story happened to Taryn Kamara of Fall River, Massachusetts. The 22-year teacher wrote on Facebook in July 2020, in the midst of the BLM protests over the death of George Floyd, “Riots often arise from gender and race controversies. Statistically, more black people have died at the hands of other African Americans than at the hands of white people.” The post quickly went viral on the internet. The educator’s behaviour was called “inappropriate” and dismissed.
The commercial sector is particularly affected by racial scandals. A recent example is the embarrassment of the Coca-Cola company. The employees were given a training session. “Try to be less white” was the main slide in the presentation. The authors of the training course explained that it means to be less arrogant and ignorant, less assertive, listen to others, trust and be humble. According to the company, the system of racial inequality in Western countries is supported even by children aged three or four. Allegedly, it is from that age that people understand that being white is better than being coloured.
One of the employees leaked the presentation to the Net. Many people were outraged. If you replace the word “white” with “black”, you get phrases that could easily get you fired or even prosecuted in the US.
“No public school will take you in.”
Dissatisfied people tend to speak out anonymously. They are convinced there is discrimination against the white population. The City Journal describes how parents of public school students in Los Angeles ($40,000 a year) gather secretly to discuss the situation. “They make my son feel racist just because he’s white. If you publish my name, it will ruin my life,” complains the mother of one of the students.
“The management can deny us an education at any time. You will be blacklisted and won’t be taken anywhere. Or they’ll call you a racist – that’s worse than a murderer”, – echoes another.
At one predominantly African-American and Hispanic school in Boston, 70 per cent of whites and Asians passed the admissions test with flying colors. But they didn’t offer special classes with advanced study of subjects for them. They explained: “We need to fight injustice and racism. Everyone should have an equal chance.
And New York City developed an “identity” scale, asking parents to indicate whether they are supporters of white supremacy or in favour of “whitewashing”. Some schools divide writers into “fit” and “unfit”. In California, for example, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and To Kill a Mockingbird have been removed from the curriculum for racism. And in history classes, it’s even more confusing.
Blacks have different rights.
African-Americans have different requirements. They get lower entry scores to colleges and are granted quotas in businesses. The so-called positive discrimination is also in effect – all other things being equal, a member of the minority is taken for a job.
All this is actively supported by President Joseph Biden. He has repeatedly got down on one knee in solidarity with the protesters. He has said that minorities will be the first beneficiaries of financial aid in a pandemic.
Reparations for blacks are being seriously discussed. Activists have been dreaming about it for a long time. The topic was raised in the primaries of the Democratic Party candidates, and Biden’s adviser Cedric Richmond is dealing with it. To overcome “systemic racism”, they are considering free tuition at “historically African-American colleges” and help in buying homes. The authorities believe this would partially make up for the damage done to blacks.
Xenia Marcina, RIA