Archive for college students

Co-author of racist “low Latino IQ” report resigns from the Heritage Foundation as Hispanic college enrollment tops white enrollment

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damage control

This news alert just showed up in my inbox:

The Heritage Foundation announced the resignation Friday of senior policy analyst Jason Richwine, co-author of a controversial report critical of the Senate’s immigration reform bill. After Heritage issued the report this week, news articles pointed out that Richwine had argued in his Harvard dissertation that there was a long-standing difference between the IQ of white Americans and immigrants. Friday afternoon’s announcement was part of an urgent damage control effort by the giant conservative think tank, which has come under unaccustomed criticism for the immigration report.

For more information… http://www.politico.com

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Rachel Maddow:

This is where the white supremacist problem comes in.

So, yesterday, it was Dillon Matthews at “The Washington Post” who looked up the credentials of the people who wrote the anti-immigration reform study for Heritage and they found out that one of the co-authors for the big Heritage study on this issue, did his doctoral dissertation on American immigration policy and specifically on the question of how we should shape our immigration policy to account for the fact that Latinos are so dumb as a race. I`m only barely paraphrasing.

The dissertation describes Latino immigrants as generally having an IQ that is, quote, “substantially lower than that of the white native population.” Quote, “Immigrants living in the U.S. today do not have the same level of cognitive ability as natives.” Quote, “No one knows whether Hispanics will ever reach IQ parity with whites, but the prediction that new Hispanic immigrants will have low IQ children and grandchildren is difficult to argue against.”

So, not only are Latinos intellectually inferior to whites, but, of course, they breed. Echh. Disgusting, right?

After that was reported the Heritage Foundation, which is now run by former Republican Senator Republican Jim DeMint, the Heritage Foundation tried to distance themselves from this guy who they had write their immigration report.

They lamented that people were focusing on this guy`s dissertation instead of on this new study from him. They said that the dissertation was, quote, “not a work product of the Heritage Foundation. Its findings do not reflect the positions of the Heritage Foundation or the conclusions of our study.”

They further dismissed the guy who wrote the Latino’s equal dumb thing by saying, quote, “he did not shape the methodology or the policy recommendations in the Heritage policy paper, semicolon, he provided quantitative support for the lead author.” So, basically, “the guy was just a temp. He was good with a calculator. That`s all we hired him for.”

Think Progress demonstrates that not only is timing everything, but also, irony is not dead:

A Pew Research Center report released Thursday notes that Hispanic college enrollment reached a record high for the class of 2012, surpassing the rate of white enrollment for the first time. [...]

This should catch the attention of Heritage Foundation’s Jason Richwine, who coauthored a debunked immigration study that argues reform is too costly. Richwine argued in his dissertation that immigrants naturally possess a lower IQ, a pseudoscience point linked to anti-immigration groups actively working against reform.

graph hispanic education rises

University of Notre Dame announces changes in support, service for GLBTQ students

It may not be “official”, but this is a huge deal. The “chaste” bit might be a stretch.

SOUTH BEND – The University of Notre Dame announced plans today to provide more support and services for students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning, including creating a university-recognized student organization.

The move stops short of creating an officially recognized gay-straight student alliance club on campus, which some students and employees have requested repeatedly over many years.

(snip)

The plan, titled “Beloved Friends and Allies: A Pastoral Plan for the Support and Holistic Development of GLBTQ and Heterosexual Students at the University of Notre Dame,” was crafted by members of the university’s Student Affairs staff. The university announcement states the plan follows a study of Catholic doctrine and teaching, listening sessions with students, and an examination of student clubs and structures at other Catholic universities.

The plan emphasizes the “respect, compassion and sensitivity” due to all, and calls Notre Dame students to cultivate chaste relationships and to support one another in a community of friendship. A document detailing the review process, Catholic Church teaching and specifics of the implementation of the plan is available online at http://friendsandallies.nd.edu.

Poll-itics: President Obama leads Mitt Romney by 25 points with recent college grads

G.W. Bush is one of the worst presidents ever according to Where They Stand:The American Presidents in the Eyes of Voters and Historians by Robert W. Merry.

But per Taegan, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll of recent college graduates, President Obama is more popular than Willard Romney, 52% to 27%.

Now let’s hope they vote.

Unprovoked, partiers allegedly threw bottles at black students, evoked Trayvon Martin. Gotta rant.

Allegedly…

HuffPo: Cornell Chief of Police Kathy Zoner confirmed that people were “reportedly making racial references” and throwing bottles from the roof of Sigma Pi. She added that she could not disclose more information because the investigation, which is being led by Ithaca Police, is ongoing.

Beverly Fonkwo ’14 said she was walking home with a friend when, unprovoked, the group on the fraternity roof began throwing objects that landed near a group walking behind them. [...]

When they asked them to stop again, the group responded, “‘Come up here, Trayvon,’ and started making all these other racial comments,” Fonkwo said.

I’ve had it. This story triggered all kinds of pent up feelings. GottaVent. I’m stumbling through stream-of-consciousness and high emotions here, so if it’s a little clumsily worded, please just go with it:

Why anyone ever in the history of ever anywhere thinks it’s a bad thing to be black, gay, Mexican, Jewish, Native American, or any damned thing but lily white and male is simply astounding to me in this day and age.

Why does the color of anyone’s skin, the protective covering that keeps our organs from spilling out, make a difference to #%@&*! anyone else?

How does pigmentation make one inferior or superior to anyone else?

How does pigmentation make one more threatening or stupid, savage, or beast-like?

How does lack of pigmentation automatically make one superior in any way, shape, or form?

How does consensual, adult love of another adult human being make one a pervert or child molester?

How can the expression of mutual love and/or passion between two consenting human beings be deemed illegal anywhere, any time?

How and why is wanting a lifelong, monogamous relationship, including the same marital status as other humans, immoral or illegal?

How does one’s belief in their version of their god make them suspect or inferior?

How does one’s belief in their version of their god make them superior, morally or in any other way?

How does one’s non-belief in a superior being make them inferior, amoral, or unfit in any way?

Why are non-believers unable to be so much as considered as possible presidential candidates?

Who the hell is anyone to judge another anyone solely based on their hue, orientation, nationality, belief, or any other deeply personal, involuntary, or birth-oriented trait or other natural, newly discovered, evolving, or acquired identification? That was really awkward, but you get what I mean.

And where does anyone get off using violence to express disdain or disapproval?

And where does anyone get off expressing disdain or disapproval to begin with?

And finally, why must every not-necessarily-offensive word out of everyone’s mouth be so politically correct that we are forced into a pre-emptive duck-and-cover posture of self-censorship?

Rant over. For now.

VIDEO- BYU gay Mormon student: “God clearly doesn’t love me, because He does not love gay people.”

The video below is heart wrenching, uplifting, enlightening, warm, scary, tear-inducing, reassuring, and for many of us, hits very close to home.

Mormon-run Bringham Young University banned advocacy of gay rights until 2010.

AP:

The video recently posted to YouTube by 22 Brigham Young University students is the first of its kind with ties to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which forbids gay sex and gay marriage. By posting the video, the students could face excommunication from the church and expulsion from BYU, where gay students are prohibited from touching or kissing.

 

“So I did everything I could to really be that perfect Mormon. I thought that was going to cure myself…”

Nobody, but nobody, should be made to feel suicidal, scorned, or shamed because of who they love, the color of their skin, or their religious beliefs/atheism. Yet that’s the kind of pain that these kids are going through.

:

USGA (Understanding Same-Gender Attraction) is an unofficial group of Brigham Young University students, faculty, and friends who wish to strengthen families and the BYU community by providing a place for open, respectful discussions on the topic of same-gender attraction. USGA is not an appropriate forum for angry, vulgar, or profane remarks of any kind, nor for expressions of antagonism against any person or organization. In order to foster an environment of respect and understanding, we ask all participants to be respectful of BYU, the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints (Mormon), and the beliefs and experiences of others. If you’d like to add your voice to the messages of hope and love, please make a video, upload it to YouTube and send us the link. Thanks!

Find USGA on Facebook at: facebook.com/groups/byuusga

“IT GETS BETTER”
The It Gets Better Project was created to show young LGBT people the levels of happiness, potential, and positivity their lives will reach — if they can just get through their teen years. The It Gets Better Project wants to remind teenagers in the LGBT community that they are not alone — and it WILL get better. The website itgetsbetter.org is a place where young people who are lesbian, gay, bi, or trans can see how love and happiness can be a reality in their future. It’s a place where straight allies can visit and support their friends and family members. It’s a place where people can share their stories, take the It Gets Better Project pledge, watch videos of love and support, and seek help. Take the pledge to help make it better for others.

If you are considering suicide or need help, call the Trevor Project now: 866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386).

H/t: Think Progress

The Blogging Scholarship: Is Your Blog Worthy of a $10,000 College Scholarship?

CollegeScholarship.org is putting the word out about their 5th annual blogging
scholarship.  The application deadline is approaching soon for this $10,000 award. Please link over and see if this is something you or someone you know could take part in:

Is Your Blog Worthy of a $10,000 Scholarship?

Do you maintain a weblog and attend college? Would you like $10,000 to help pay for books, tuition, or other living costs? If so, read on.

We’re giving away $10,000 this year to a college student who blogs. The Blogging Scholarship is awarded annually. [...]

The 2011 submission application date is November 14, 2011.

Details here.

VIDEO: Unprovoked assault by police on UC Berkeley students

Occupy Cal, meet police brutality.

California’s Crowd Management and Civil Disobedience guidelines (PDF) state:

“Only that force which is objectively reasonable may be used to arrest violators and restore order.”

H/t: Joshua Holland