by Claude Morales

Created on: April 07, 2010   Last Updated: April 08, 2010

It is impossible, even unthinkable that we can stipulate a selection criterion for admission to school or university. This would be a totally anti-democratic act, even a Nazi act that would remind us of what happened in the 30s when some wanted to make a superior, fair-haired German race.

It is unthinkable to imagine that something similar could happen to the U.S, a Country that showed a real diversity by bringing in people of different colors. There were indeed white people at the very beginning, coming from Ireland, England, Germany, Poland, Italy etc.Then the Asians on the West Coast, and of course, the Blacks in the South before the Civil War.

In Europe, we are told that it takes two generations to make a true American citizen. Thus, if Jose Luis is from Colombia, his grandson will be the real American citizen we are talking about, but it may be that grandfather Jose Luis will apply for the U.S. citizenship. Only his grandson will be the true American citizen and we are not talking about his origin, nor his colour.

Moreover, does his skin colour tell us indeed about his race ? 

This would be a real debate! If my skin is brown and I were born in Kansas and that only old photos would show my grandfather Alfonso to me when he lived in Portugal in 1920, am I allowed to go to university because I am not quite white?

In fact, the question raises the problem of verifying your origin in genealogy: It can give evidence that you would be a well-bred American (I do not mean citizenship, as it can be acquired by birth or naturalization). If my name is Ivan Christopher Anton and I was born in Chicago, am I still a Slav or not?

This is the debate: Race does not necessarily mean colour. If I am a white Slav is it sufficient to be admitted at University? But when I am Black and born in Atlanta, am I allowed to go to university because I am Black ?

In conclusion, if you want to institute a race criterion to be granted admittance to University or school, it would be necessary to make sure that there is no connection with colour, otherwise the debate will bump promptly onto the usual basic hints of racism with a focus on the black colour, because black is not caucasian.

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