Columns:

Morning Notes

by ARLnow.com | October 11, 2012 at 9:15 am | 1,507 views | 34 Comments

Committee Debates Aquatics Center — Arlington’s Committee of 100 debated the merits of the planned $79 million Long Bridge Park aquatics and fitness center last night. A park bond that would help fund the center is on the Nov. 6 ballot. [Sun Gazette]

Marymount University and Diversity — WUSA 9′s Peggy Fox profiles Marymount University, which she says is one of the “most diverse regional universities” despite a “race blind” admissions process. Instead of considering race during the admissions process, the university instead actively encourages minority students to apply. The U.S. Supreme Court will soon consider a case that challenges the legality of affirmative action, which allows race and ethnicity to be considered in school admissions processes. [WUSA 9]

Construction at Hayes Park — Due to construction behind the tennis courts at Hayes Park (1516 N. Lincoln Street), the park’s parking lot will be closed from 7:00 a.m. today to about 2:00 p.m. [Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association]

cakes

Arlington Village: my hood!
- FrenchyB
  
  Word!
novasteve

Gotta wonder about the logic behind using racism to fix the “legacy of racism”. Lots of groups were discriminated against, there were quotas limiting the amount of jews that could be admitted to many schools, and I don’t see them having affirmative action for jews, asians were discriminated against, etc.. AA hurts asians. It seems AA only exists to “help” groups that the left think wrongfully can’t make it on their own, which seems rather bigoted and racist to me.
- drax
  
  To be fair, there are AA policies for Jews too, but I don’t know if UT does that.
  
  Also, this:
  
  http://www.jta.org/news/article/2012/08/10/3103646/adl-defends-u-texas-affirmative-action-policy
  
  And AA isn’t just about helping the target groups, it’s about building a diverse student body as a whole, which is good for everyone. But I agree that AA hurts more than it helps.
  - Gen Lee
    
    drax said: “it’s about building a diverse student body as a whole, which is good for everyone.”
    
    Care to provide some evidence for your claim that a diverse student body “is good for everyone”??
    
    You can’t, and you won’t because no such evidence exists.
    - novasteve
      
      I think he meant “feel good moment for everyone”.
- Bacon
  
  Are you kidding or blind to historical fact and reality? The United States squashed generational economic and educational prosperity for African Americans for centuries-and a good part of that chunk of time the Blacks were on the receiving end of a whip.
  - SomeGuy
    
    Bacon, what is your response to novasteve’s comment about “the logic behind using racism to fix the ‘legacy of racism.’”
    
    Is systemic redirection of racist policies (Affirmative Action) the answer?
    
    I happen to agree with drax on his point, particularly in our current environment: “AA hurts more than it helps.”
    - novasteve
      
      Also, the big point of it all is that there’s no reverse racism, there’s just racism.
      
      Anyone like to elaborate on why AA hurts more than it helps, give your argument? I would argue even more that it probably hurts self esteem with the self doubt “did I earn this really on my own? Would I have gotten admitted if I were not…”
    - Bacon
      
      Given the history of racism toward African Americans in this country, and the systematic laws that kept most from acquiring family wealth and getting educational opportunities that would have benefited their families for generations, like the White folk had, do you have a better idea for leveling the playing field within the next three generations?
      - novasteve
        
        Even if it were teh case that blacks are still impacted by a legacy of racism, what kind of solution is it to make those who had nothing to do with the discrimination, pay for it? I had nothing to do with racism against blacks. My family wasn’t in the country during slavery, and not for long after it ended, and there was discrimination against jews that was practically as bad at least in employment as it was against blacks. And what did Asian americans do to blacks or hispanics that asians should have to suffer so much for re: affirmative action?
        
        Why are people being pu nished for something they had nothing to do with? Do Germans owe me something simply because I’m jewish, and for how long?
      - DCBuff
        
        Without taking anything away from your point about how blacks were denied opportunities on a de jure basis, a sweeping statement about “white folk” ignores de facto reality. Most “white folk” did not go to college or acquire substantive “family wealth.” We had a system where this may have applied to economic elites who were also white, but not to the working class, whether urban factory workers or rural farmers.
  - novasteve
    
    Bacon, I don’t understand your logic, if blacks are still hurting from centuries of slavery and educational/economic harm , why are jews prospering in countries where just 70 years ago they were being targetted for extermination? I had a roommate from Vietnam whose family were dirt poor, they left Vietnam right after Saigon fell, no money, no education, and yet his family was able to learn english,g et jobs, etc, despite having so many cultural differences, and he’s very successful, his brother is a medical doctor, and he didn’t need any help.
    - novasteve
      
      Jews had also, especially the ones who came to the US from eastern europe, had no education, were basically slaves, suffered cossack attacks, massive discrimination from the governments of the countries, so why don’t jews need this “special help”?? I think the proponents of AA have very low expectations of certain groups and dont’ think they can make it without special privileges.
      - Bacon
        
        I am sorry, were Jews and Thais whipped in this country? When was that last Jewish bus boycott over discrimination? What Jewish boy was strung up for talking to a white woman. Were Jews lynch by the hundreds each month in this country? Did the Jews march from Selma?
        
        Blacks lived in fear of losing their lives or family members lives, for most of this country’s existence. It is shameful, and our government is trying to provide economic opportunity to level the playing field. Now, you come along and ignore the benefits of historical race superiority in this country, and claim everything should be equal. If everything were equal 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, years ago we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
        
        You argue that after generations of wealth and education accumulation in your family, those that were denied the same opportunities have no stake to claim their descendants have some opportunity for equalization in society? You make this argument in a “too big to fail business epoch?”
        
        Also, to this day, Germany makes significant payments each year to Israel for war reparations. I don’t see you bitching about that government program.
      - Bacon
        
        They were not “Basically” slaves in this country. If you believe they were, your American history teacher failed you. Slavery was beyond brutal, maintaining segregation was almost as brutal.
        
        Germany gives lots of help and set asides to Jews and Israel, what the hell are you talking about
SomeGuy

It would be cool if people’s perceptions of “diversity” in this context could also be race blind. Or at least extend beyond strictly racial diversity.
- novasteve
  
  And of course “diversity” only is considered certain races.
- Tabs
  
  I agree with SG. *shocked*
  - SomeGuy
    
    I am also shocked, Tabs. And I appreciate your comment.
MKauf

A $79 million aquatics and fitness center? Another advantage of renting is that I won’t be paying taxes to help pay for that.
- novasteve
  
  You indirectly pay property taxes when you rent
- drax
  
  So you won’t use it if it gets built either, huh?
- Neighbor
  
  You know that your rent includes what your landlord has to pay for taxes, right?
- John Fontain
  
  The tab went up $9 million since yesterday. That increase itself would pay for 4 junior olympic sized pools (25 yard/meter).
  - novasteve
    
    That’s a small price to pay for the Kosomols of Arlington!
  - CW
    
    Don’t you know that the annual inflation rate is currently in the thousands of percents?
    - John Fontain
      
      I’m a slow learner.
JimPB

The photo — WOW!
Sri

What happened at Rosslyn key bridge between 10:00 and 10:30 AM. Emergency vehicles and cop cars. Hope every one is safe.
- CW
  
  The way all my fellow cyclists were riding this morning, I’d not be surprised if one of them got run over there. It seemed that everyone had caught the crazy bug this morning.
Dr_Klahn

I’m guessing you could build a big “outdoor” aquatics complex that has one of those inflatable bubbles that makes it temporarily indoor when it gets cold out for far less. Granted, you wouldn’t get a building that is a piece of art like 80 million would buy, but you could always fancy it up by lifting the sign ban and letting them paint a mural on it (a guy smoking a whale might actually make a little bit of sense on an aquatics center).
novasteve

How about convert the Artisphere into a pool?
bobbytiger

Glad to read that Marymount does not discriminate against White people in order to achieve a “diversity” within their student body. Even one of the latest CNN (read liberal) polls, indicated that over 65% of respondents agree in this discriminatory practice.

Happy Sign Holders Coming to Ballston Thursday Meeting Tonight to Discuss Traffic Impact of New School

Subscribe to our mailing list