Dear Justice Scalia,
I am writing this letter about your recent opinion on the affirmative action case involving Abigail Fisher. I would just like to tell you, respectfully of course, that your opinion is wrong. You suggested that African Americans, should attend schools that are not selective because they would perform better at a slower pace. Unfortunately, that is completely inaccurate.
First off, I know you’re aware that Ms. Abigail Fisher was extremely unqualified to attend the University of Texas at Austin. Her grade point average and SAT scores, were much better suited for a less selective school. Since, she performed at a much slower pace compared to her peers. She then argued that the real reason she did not get into the University of Texas is because of Affirmative Action.
Affirmative Action, is not designed for minorities to be chosen over more qualified students. It is designed to create diversity in higher education, which is necessary in making humanity more enjoyable overall. Despite the fact that it’s designed to create diversity, it still does not allow for unqualified applicants. If that were the case, The University of Texas at Austin would have a black population that totaled more than 4 percent. Affirmative Action is not the issue, ignorance is.
Justice Scalia, I am an African American female who has always worked incredibly hard for my grades. I graduated high school from the highest ranked public school system in the nation with a 3.67 grade point average. As a college student, I currently have a 3.8 grade point average and am a member of several on-campus groups. I even tutor many students, including those who are not minorities. There is nothing slow paced about me. I am not an anomaly; I am the typical African American student earning a degree in higher education.
You see, your opinion is not something new to African Americans. From a very early age we are taught; “you have to work twice as hard to receive half of what they have.” We know that popular opinion is that we don’t earn the things that we deserve. We’re just given handouts to fill some sort of nonexistent racial quota. Which is ironic, because I know more non-minority students who go out of their way to cheat the educational system than actually work hard in it. But that’s a conversation for a different day. We understand these opinions and we constantly work to break down racial barriers that have been set in place for years. But above all, we recognize that it’s people like you with opinions like yours who constantly try to hold us back.
A student should never walk down the hallway and feel like they don’t deserve to be there. Like they were just given their spot based on the color of their skin. Your opinion causes that exact feeling. African Americans deserve to attend the top universities because they work hard to be there. They don’t earn these spots simply by the color of their skin. They don’t move at a slower pace then the other students just because they’re brown and not white. President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama both received dual ivy league degrees because they worked hard, not because they were African American. To underestimate someone’s performance level solely based on the color of their skin, shows an unprecedented amount of ignorance. As more minorities become lawyers, doctors, and engineers maybe then you will understand that this idea of a “slower pace” is nonexistent. It’s just a shame we have to prove it to you. For all my fellow minority students out there, always remember this: “Lions don’t lose sleep over the opinions of sheep.” Continue to strive for excellence, regardless of who tells you that you don’t deserve it.
Sincerely,
An Educated Minority
