December 24-2005:
Prepare Or Fail Miserably:
In today's economic environment, without a decent education, and it's concomitant skills, you are doomed to live a life in economic poverty. Without the possibility for providing your offspring any financial foundation that will enable them to attend college, or equip themselves, for upward mobility.
No Free Rides:
Those of us who feel that to get a free pass into college, and possibly graduate, because you are a preferred athlete, you are terribly mis-guided. Not too many athletes will get picked to play in the major leagues.
Not too many favorite athletes who were selected, despite their poor academic performance in college, will be able to comprehend and monitor their financial affairs. Most will get fleeced from their accountants, lawyers, and managers, because of their ignorance and lack of knowledge.
And material wealth cannot compensate for a lack of education. Because should some misfortune befall you, there is nothing left to fall back on! Ignoramuses can never be role models for young and aspiring men and girls. If you have cheated in school, promoted because of some athlete gift you may have, and have never applied yourself diligently at accomplishing any intellectual or academic skills, then what kind of role model will you be?
Commonsense-Education & Entrepreneurship:
Without common sense, a good education, the ability to take advantage of opportunities, that will assist in upward mobility, then you might as well throw in the towel.
Because you will never be able to compete in the world of work, and poverty will always be your lot, and your children's lot. And the in-ability to rise above that social situation, because you have not given them the opportunity to do so.
Affirmative Action/Privileges:
This entitlement have done more harm than good to those who feel they are entitled to it, regardless of it's noble intentions. This privilege has caused some of us to just settle for the mediocre, or sub-standard, because we feel we will be promoted anyway, because of these special privileges.
It is unreal to expect someone to perform to his/her maximum, if their is an incentive provided for failure. And to give someone an incentive or edge, because he/she is poor, or presumed to be dis-advantaged, will be a dis-incentive to him/her to achieve excellence.
It is like giving a runner a 'jump start' ahead of his fellow runners in the race, because he has asthma!
Om Shanti.
Derryck S. Griffith.
Educator & Advocate.
1 comment:
From: atlbear2001@yahoo.com
I could not agree with you more with most of your statements because they were right on target from my point of view as well, however, your view on affirmative action did strike a sour note somewhat. While I do agree that any program that is developed to help can and will be abused by some, however, prior to affirmative action, doors were slammed closed and locked on women of all races and most men of color. Not until laws were established that put teeth into equal rights, it was just something that existed in words alone.
Banks would not loan money, schools would not admit you, employment was at best “slave labor”, much like today and opportunity was nothing but a dream. Even those with talent were taken advantage of, not so much because they were stupid but because they could only enter the doors that were open to them, and normally that was the back door where only the spoils of success were stored.
Many blacks had money, but no voice, no power and really not much desire to spread the wealth themselves. Affirmative Action open doors and that was all we wanted. The folks of my time were not looking for a hand-out, just a way in. Once we were allowed to enter, we proved our worth; we proved it over and over.
Blacks and women have demonstrated that given an opportunity, we will excel. And I submit that until my generation dies out, those of us who harbor hate and distrust, there will be a need for affirmative action. Without it, we would be simply amazed at how quickly our power and our businesses would start to fail.
The Bush administration has shown what can be done by a few to the masses when doors are closed to those that are not members of the club.
Harold L. Harris, Sr. The Atlanta Bear
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