Every system has its flaws. No system is perfect. I thought about it and her eis a good example of why I support Affirmative ACtion.
Think of it like a race. The gun goes off and one runner takes off. The other runner is held back. The first runner gets one lap done. then the second runner is let go. No matter how fast the second runner runs, he will never catch up with the first runner. Yes things have changed from the 60's but because of JIm Crowe laws ( DO you all even know what that is) and racism from that ear there was created a gap and a certain attitude in communities. No, everyone deosnt fall victim to it but a large majority do. Iused to teach in the projects . The kids could not read on the level they should have, Their parents couldnt help because THEY could not read and they could not read because their parents could not read. Its a cycle started 40 to 50 years ago and so its not easy to catch up. Again, some make it out of that situation but most dont.
Good for you for exposing underprivileged kids to a world of possibilities in aviation, and please do keep up that good work! The only problem though with your above argument is, "how do you explain the educational and professional success of people who come to this country with nothing, who not only can't read the language, but can't speak it as well, and their kids end up matriculating at UC Berkeley and making millions in Silicon Valley?" I'm thinking of the Asian population in this country at the moment, but the same could be said for German Jews and other past waves of immigrants. Believe me, I know a lot of white kids around here with greater than 4.0 GPA's that couldn't get into UC Berkeley. I think that the greatest tragedy any race can make (and this includes poor white kids and white kids who are slackers) is to feed into that "woe is me, I'm a victim" mentality. Not that I think getting into Berkeley or Stanford is the key to great success and happiness, but I had to remind a few of my sons friends that perhaps the Asian kids were studying a bit harder while they were at the Fillmore watching the latest rock band play...LOL...