Whites Only Scholarship

I have recently been looking for funding for graduate school. Anyone who has ever gone to graduate school knows that funding is hard to come by. It is considerably more scarce than money for undergraduate studies. There are no grants offered by the government whatsoever, so any funding that is out there is provided by private companies or by the school’s program itself. In a select few cases, there are government fellowships that are extraordinarily competitive. In short, funding is quite rare.

However, during my search, I have come across a lot of funding that is offered for minority groups, and even more recently, I came across some funding that is only applicable for LGBTQ individuals. After doing some research, I even found out that there are even more interesting cases of funding being given, such as a scholarship for people who are left-handed.

I am not inherently against any of these scholarships. My point for bringing them up is that so many of them exist, but there are only a few (almost no) scholarships for caucasians, particularly male caucasians. The general argument is that caucasians don’t need scholarships because simply being caucasian is a privilege in itself. Being male is also a privilege. Therefore, (male) caucasians don’t need funding.

That argument is ludicrously fallacious. Being against male caucasian scholarships is a form of racism. Just because some caucasians have historically treated African Americans with disdain does not mean I should suffer for their mistakes. Because caucasians historically oppressed African Americans, by extension, all of the caucasians, no matter what age, educational or familial background, have to atone for those sins?

Just because there are a lot of caucasian people in government and in senior level positions does not mean I should be held back just to let other races “catch up” to caucasians. Am I not allowed to have opportunities because there are other caucasian people who do have opportunities? That doesn’t make sense to me, especially because I am not them. I am not a rich caucasian man. I did not oppress African Americans or any other race of people. I have nothing to do with the lives of other caucasian individuals, especially the well-to-do ones in this country.

Therefore, why is there an issue for caucasians to have scholarships? A simple online search for “whites only scholarship” will bring up a multitude of opponents for why these opportunities should not exist. Here are two specific YouTube videos discussing the issue:

So why do very few of these scholarships exist? Is it because of the opposition from people like the ones in those YouTube videos? Is it because it looks better for an organization to offer individuals of color scholarships instead? Is it because there really aren’t many organizations that exist for the advancement of caucasians? I’m willing to bet that is a part of it, and even if that sort of organization did exist, it would be met with a considerable amount of criticism.

Another factor to consider in this debate is whether caucasians are generally more privileged than other races. I think, in some instances, they are, but it depends on the race you are comparing them to, to be honest. Of course, it is also important to consider opportunities on a case by case basis. But for argument’s sake, let us assume that caucasians are typically more privileged than other races here in the United States.

I come from a very modest background, and I know other caucasian males who do, as well. In that sense, we are just as underprivileged as any other race of people on an individual level, which is what is most important. We should, just like many other groups of people, be given the opportunity to flourish. Caucasian only scholarships, like many other race-based scholarships, would not be available to those who already have an abundance of access to resources. They would be available to underprivileged caucasians who want an affordable education through a merit-based award system. They would function just the same as any other scholarship, except they would be available for caucasians specifically.

Honestly, this shouldn’t even be the center of the discussion. Instead of focusing on race, funding opportunities should be focused on giving the underprivileged an affordable education. Just like African Americans would not want their scholarships being given to other advantaged African Americans, “whites only” scholarships are only trying to promote the lives of those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

And that’s what the discussion should be focused on. If a student does not have the resources to attend school, then they should be given a reasonable chance to do so, regardless of race. Race has nothing to do with it, besides being a general barometer for what social class people tend to fall under. It’s not an automatic classification. Poor caucasians should be given comparable funding opportunities in relation to other races.

Actually, from the research I have done online, it seems like most people support caucasian only scholarships. I think the main reason they are not prevalent is because of the poor media attention they get and the people who say caucasian only scholarships are racist (which is simply ridiculous). Also, there just aren’t that many “caucasian advancement” organizations out there. Historically, I would agree that there didn’t need to be many, but as the disparity in social class between different races lessens, it would be beneficial for more of them to exist. I guess it’s just not a popular cause for people to champion, especially if they are looking to gain backers or political clout.

However, in the interest of fairness, I think there needs to be better funding opportunities for all different races of people. Poor is poor, and rich is rich, and that is all that should matter.

Washington D.C in a Nutshell

The more I stay in D.C., the more I dislike it. Being the nation’s capital, I honestly expect much more. There is nothing that really makes up this city. It’s a fine place to visit, and as I’ve said before, I have enjoyed all of my previous visits. But it didn’t take too long for the novelty of the city to wear off.

After living in D.C. for almost two months, I have finally figured this city out. D.C. is a city where people really do nothing but work. It’s a place where people just go through the motions. It feels like a lifeless city. Nobody seems happy. It’s as if everybody here is simply living to die. I’ve never lived in a city before where I looked at people and they all just looked like zombies to me; and I’ve lived in Japan, a place where everyone acts and thinks the same!

Interspersed among the local workers are the tourists, which, oddly enough, I hate. I’ve been a tourist myself in many different cities across the world (D.C. included), but for some reason, I hate tourists. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. It’s like I’m hating myself, but either way, with there only being two main groups of people in D.C., it makes me like the city even less because it is so bland.

Apart from the lifeless people who live here, the city is simply boring. The geography is flat. There aren’t any great parks, and there isn’t any beautiful scenery. There is one thing to do in D.C.: museums. Again, the museums are great, but when you’re looking for a little bit more to do than look at stuff and read things, there just isn’t much substance here. Basically, there is nothing to do here past 5 o’clock because that’s when the museums close.

I have asked the advice of what to do from locals and people who have lived here for awhile, as well, and I never get great answers about it. One person told me of the lovely coffee shops and bookstores in the area. Another person mentioned going to see a show at the local theater. Someone else told me where to find good food. Actually, a lot of people told me where to find good food.

But what does that say about the city? There’s good food? I can find good food, coffee shops, bookstores and plays in any city. It’s not unique, which is what really brings D.C. down. There is nothing actually special about the city, and the vibes that the local people give off from working all the time just brings it down even more.

With so little to look forward to, this city clings onto anything it has, no matter how uneventful it may be. The weather is getting better, and with that, the cherry blossoms will be in full bloom soon. Everywhere I go, I see cherry blossom stuff. There are even cherry blossom stickers in the subways to make it seem like the cherry blossoms blooming is the next great event in history.

Sadly for D.C., it’s not. Maybe they do it for the tourists. That could be a possibility, but I still feel like they do it because they are so excited of the fact that the cherry blossoms are going to bloom because nothing else even remotely exciting happens here.

Fortunately for myself, I won’t be here for much longer. D.C. just really doesn’t have much to offer me. It’s basically like any other city, except with six million people living in it. To me, it’s boring. There’s less to do here than in my hometown, which only has a couple hundred thousand people in it. Unfortunately for me, though, I am leaving as soon as it gets warmer. You can’t win them all, I suppose.

Public Transportation: Washington D.C.

Usually, I love public transportation, but recently, it’s been bothering me. Maybe it’s just that D.C. public transportation is terrible, which is making me angry. Whatever the case, I can’t stand it recently.

First off, the price. D.C. has the most expensive public transportation I have ever taken in my life. It’s based on distance, which is sensible, but the base prices are just way too high. The lowest possible fare is still more expensive than any fare you would find in Seoul for a comparable distance traveled.

According to the WMATA (D.C. Metro’s servicer), the price for fares during off-peak hours is this:

• $1.75 minimum + a $1 surcharge if a paper farecard is used

During peak hours, which is when most people will be traveling, of course, it’s this:

• $2.15 minimum + a $1 surcharge if a paper farecard is used

In Seoul, the cost is 1,150 won, which is about a dollar or so. Also, it’s a flat fare unless you really start moving out of the main city area, in which case, the price goes up unsubstantially.

In Tokyo, the minimum cost is about $1.50 with the maximum cost being around $3.

This seems comparable until you look at the maximum fares for the D.C. metro. Fares in the D.C. area go up significantly based on the distance traveled. Here are the maximum fares during both off-peak and peak hours:

• $3.60 maximum + a $1 surcharge if a paper farecard is used
• $5.90 maximum + a $1 surcharge if a paper farecard is used

$6 to ride the subway? Are you kidding me? That’s absurd. Assuming you’re from out of town and you don’t know what you’re doing and you happen to buy all paper farecards (which happens), you’re paying an extra $1 per ride.

This maximum fare price isn’t some magical land of Oz number that never happens either. To go to work from my house, I pay $4. I only ride one line, too. No transfers needed. And it’s $4. That’s $8 a day. For those who have to make transfers, and those who live quite a distance away from their destination, they will be paying closer to the $6 maximum. Who can afford this? Not everybody in the D.C. area is some rich bigwig. I am sure am not. It’s no surprise that some people try to get a free fare whenever possible.

I could understand such a high price if the subways were lined with flower petals, gave out free food and shoe shines and smelled of lavender, but obviously, this isn’t the case.

The only worse subway system I have ever been on is the New York City subway system, which was simply a disgusting mess. At least NYC’s subways actually worked, though. D.C.’s subways are the most unreliable transportation system I have ever taken. Even the trains and buses that travel the back roads of Thailand are more reliable.

Fortunately for me, I ride a pretty straightforward route. There are no transfers, and the side of town that I come from is less crowded than the other side. For those coming from the west side, they have a much more difficult time. Countless delays mar the subway system on a daily basis over there, and I know people who have waited for over thirty minutes for their train to move.

The problem comes from the way that the subway system is designed. Many of the subway’s lines travel through the same tracks. This creates multiple problems. For one, when you have a delay, it delays not only the trains on the line you’re traveling on, but it delays trains on the other colored lines. This creates a compounding problem where one delay creates delays for the rest of the day for all of the lines that travel along that track.

Although, since there is no order whatsoever, I guess it creates consistency out of chaos. When none of the trains arrive at the expected times, trains simply run when they can, and they eventually show up at the station. Thus, the unreliability of trains makes them consistently sporadic, which becomes the new norm. Compared to Japan and Korea’s impeccable punctuality in their subway systems, though, D.C.’s system is substandard and ineffective.

Besides the delays that are caused by having all of the trains run on one track, it makes track upkeep much more crucial to providing a more reliable service. I suppose, in the long run, it means employing less workers because there are less tracks to service, but if that’s the case, then why is the price so high? What exactly is my money paying for when the service I receive is worse in every way than every other country with public transportation; yet it still costs more?

As an aside, each station only employs a couple different escalators for passengers to use. Those, too, are oftentimes broken down. Many of them are shut down completely for repairs, so you can’t even use them as stairs if you want to. This railroads people getting off of trains, creating a large line to wait for escalators when trying to leave a station.

Unfortunately, despite all of the problems that people have with the public transportation in D.C., what can they do about it? If everyone takes their cars, then commuting would be impossible. There are also no places to park in D.C. You are basically expected to take public transportation, walk or ride a bike. Most cars in D.C. are typically just driving through to a different destination. It’s a terrible place for cars, as can be expected in most large cities.

Because of this, WMATA can pretty much charge as much as they want for their services, so long as they don’t incite a riot from commuters. Some people working for the government and other jobs also get transit subsidies, which keeps them complacent enough. For everyone else, it’s quite the gimmick. With no way of transportation into the city other than public transportation, people are required to pay the absurd prices WMATA charges, and they can’t do anything about it.

At least the buses are cheaper than the subway, but they are quite unreliable, as well. Bus schedules are also much more confusing than subway schedules, and bus travel times are typically longer. So, I’m not sure if buses are a reasonable alternative to taking the subway.

WMATA simply needs to charge reasonable prices for their services, a mantra that U.S. businesses should actually consider embracing. The American people are being gouged by businesses like the WMATA, and while it sure is good for their business, it does not create a happy or productive society. Oppressing people for monetary gain doesn’t even bring oppressors happiness.

Let’s start, as a society, getting our act together, or America will continue to fall apart. WMATA can start by lowering the cost of their services.

Traveling vs. Living

Whenever I travel, I apparently travel with rose-tinted glasses. Pretty much everywhere I go, I love, and I usually find nothing wrong with it. Which is fine with me. It basically means I always thoroughly enjoy my travels. The problem comes when I visit a place and later have to live in that place.

The first time this happened to me was when I visited Japan back in 2008 for a short school trip. Up until this time, I was completely enamored with Japan. I loved everything about Japan, and I thought I understood what Japan was really like.

Later, in 2011, the final semester of my undergraduate years, I studied abroad in Japan. That was when I first realized that living somewhere is considerably different than simply visiting somewhere. I started finding a lot of things different and foreign to me about Japan that I thought I had known about before. It was quite the shock.

I am currently doing an internship in Washington D.C. and am experiencing the same phenomenon. I have been to D.C. three times in the past. Each time was a short trip; four days or less. And each time, I loved it. I don’t want to say I don’t like it now, but since I’m not actually visiting for a short period of time, I am beginning to see some things that are different than I thought they were.

For one, D.C. is actually really cold. I’m from the northern U.S., where it’s cold and snowy. I’ve also spent time in Korea and Japan, both of which can get quite cold and windy, so I’m used to the weather. Maybe I have always traveled to D.C. during warmer years, but it is cold here. Just the other day, we had 20+ mph winds. It was ridiculous. I wasn’t expecting balmy weather in D.C. in February, but I just wasn’t expecting it to be this cold either.

It’s also much dirtier than I remember it being. I should realize by now that most big cities get pretty dirty, especially in the U.S., but I guess I never learn. The last place I visited was New York City, so maybe I was comparing it to that, which I absolutely hated (one of my few travels I did not enjoy as much as I thought I would).

I guess the big point of this whole post is that it’s difficult to really get to know a place until you’ve spent a considerable amount of time there. Just visiting a place for a short period of time does not give a full picture of what that city is actually like.

Apart from living in a city, I think the best way to get a feel for what a city is really like is by spending time with locals and doing things as locals do. I think this is one of the reasons why I have such a good understanding of Korea and Korean culture. I spent a lot of time with actual Koreans, doing things Koreans do and living like an actual Korean. While I will never be Korean, I think I came about as close as I can get to really understanding their culture by living like the locals. Spending a year in Korea certainly also helped. I do realize that in certain scenarios, this is probably pretty difficult to accomplish, though.

Without such a stark language and cultural barrier that exists in Korea, I think this task will be much easier in D.C. Unfortunately, I will only be spending about two months here, which is a somewhat short amount of time. Most of this time will be spent in a routine, as well: going to work, coming home, going to the grocery store. It’s going to be quite regimented, so I may not get much of a chance to actually go out and see how the city functions. I hope I will eventually get the chance, though, because I think it will give me a much fuller and realistic experience while I am here.

Comments? Questions? Rants? Write them down below.