(U-WIRE) STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Throughout history, white privilege has allowed black, Hispanic and Native American people and those of other minority groups to gain only “limited acceptance.”
White people have greater economic advantages, access to health care and education.
An apology for slavery would not be enough to make up for the terrible occurrences.
Tell us something we don’t know.
These are just a few of the findings listed in the report from the Advisory Board to the President’s Initiative on Race, which President Clinton received Friday. Although the report’s release was clouded by the president’s sex scandal, it marked the pinnacle of a 15-month exploration of race issues by the seven-member panel.
However, this report contains no real initiatives or even proposals – just some suggestions and endorsements of policies already implemented. In fact, one member of panel called the report a “relatively bland document that contained no bold initiatives.”
Even though this report may not bring real change, it’s a start. At least it shows the president has a commitment to solving race relations problems and it gives us some hope for the future.
Some of the suggestions are beneficial and should be enacted. For example, the panel called for the reduction of disparity in sentences for crimes dealing with powdered cocaine and its concentrated form of crack, which targets poor minorities.
The board also called for studies on police misconduct involving minorities, stereotyping in media, federal employment, bilingual education and access to technology.
These areas must be studied further in regards to minorities, the problems detected and solutions formed.
This report should be used as a continued forum for discussion. The findings by the race advisory board should be used to further investigate solutions.
In addition, we would like to see a permanent Presidential Council on Race formed, as was suggested in the report. Problems surrounding race in this country are not going away any time soon. Race is always an issue, one that needs to be addressed constantly.
Keep up the momentum and someday everyone in this country will truly be treated equally.
-Staff editorial from Penn State University’s Daily Collegian.
