Utah Governor: Racism is Okay If It's Against White Kids

[BTR1701]

No matter what the governor says, this is blatantly illegal. Does anyone
here not think the Jazz would be under a federal civil rights investigation
if it had a scholarship program with a "blacks need not apply" caveat?

--------------------
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox defended racism against white kids during a question
and answer session with constituents on Thursday.

During the session, live-tweeted by the governor's official Twitter
account, one Utah citizen asked "if it's racist that the Utah Jazz excludes
white children from the team's scholarship program".

The program created by the NBA team allots a scholarship to a new
“"underrepresented student of color enrolling as a freshman for the 2021-22
school year" for every team win during the 2020-21 season basketball
season. To qualify for the funds, students must have graduated from high
school and be a "person of color". Since the program's start, the team has
handed out nearly 50 full-ride scholarships to black and minority students
only.

Despite the team's deliberate exclusion of white students from the program,
Cox said the scholarship requirements are not racist.

"It's not racist. Ryan Smith and the Jazz can do what they want with their
funds. All kids should have equal opportunities, and we're proud of the
Jazz,"he replied.

[How does excluding white kids give "all kids equal opportunities"?]

https://thefederalist.com/2021/04/16/utah-governor-defends-racism-as-long-as-its-against-white-kids/

[Rhino]

Post by BTR1701
No matter what the governor says, this is blatantly illegal. Does anyone
here not think the Jazz would be under a federal civil rights investigation
if it had a scholarship program with a "blacks need not apply" caveat?
--------------------
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox defended racism against white kids during a question
and answer session with constituents on Thursday.
During the session, live-tweeted by the governor's official Twitter
account, one Utah citizen asked "if it's racist that the Utah Jazz excludes
white children from the team's scholarship program".
The program created by the NBA team allots a scholarship to a new
“"underrepresented student of color enrolling as a freshman for the 2021-22
school year" for every team win during the 2020-21 season basketball
season. To qualify for the funds, students must have graduated from high
school and be a "person of color". Since the program's start, the team has
handed out nearly 50 full-ride scholarships to black and minority students
only.
Despite the team's deliberate exclusion of white students from the program,
Cox said the scholarship requirements are not racist.
"It's not racist. Ryan Smith and the Jazz can do what they want with their
funds. All kids should have equal opportunities, and we're proud of the
Jazz,"he replied.
[How does excluding white kids give "all kids equal opportunities"?]
https://thefederalist.com/2021/04/16/utah-governor-defends-racism-as-long-as-its-against-white-kids/

While racism is deplorable, I'm not sure there are any legal grounds to
object to the team's awarding of scholarships to only "people of
colour". If it was the government awarding the scholarships, yes there'd
be plenty of grounds.

I have to assume there are any number of charities that are specifically
for individual "racial" groups. For example, the NAACP. If someone said
you couldn't donate to the NAACP, I think you would object and with good
reason. It should be the right of any person to donate to any (legal)
causes/groups that are out there. There is plenty of legal precedent for
organizations like The Jazz being seen as "persons" so I don't see any
obstacle to them giving scholarships to "people of colour" and excluding
whites.

Of course self-interest comes into play here. If the team experiences a
major backlash to this practice and people start cancelling their
season's tickets and demanding refunds, they might rethink their
position. Maybe.

Legally, I think the governor is right in this case. Morally, he's got a
ways to go to convince either of us that the team is in the right here.

[BTR1701]

Post by BTR1701

Post by BTR1701
No matter what the governor says, this is blatantly illegal. Does anyone
here not think the Jazz would be under a federal civil rights investigation
if it had a scholarship program with a "blacks need not apply" caveat?
--------------------
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox defended racism against white kids during a question
and answer session with constituents on Thursday.
During the session, live-tweeted by the governor's official Twitter
account, one Utah citizen asked "if it's racist that the Utah Jazz excludes
white children from the team's scholarship program".
The program created by the NBA team allots a scholarship to a new
“"underrepresented student of color enrolling as a freshman for

the 2021-22

Post by BTR1701
school year" for every team win during the 2020-21 season basketball
season. To qualify for the funds, students must have graduated from high
school and be a "person of color". Since the program's start, the team has
handed out nearly 50 full-ride scholarships to black and minority students
only.
Despite the team's deliberate exclusion of white students from the program,
Cox said the scholarship requirements are not racist.
"It's not racist. Ryan Smith and the Jazz can do what they want with their
funds. All kids should have equal opportunities, and we're proud of the
Jazz,"he replied.
[How does excluding white kids give "all kids equal opportunities"?]
https://thefederalist.com/2021/04/16/utah-governor-defends-racism-as-long-as-its-against-white-kids/

While racism is deplorable, I'm not sure there are any legal grounds to
object to the team's awarding of scholarships to only "people of
colour". If it was the government awarding the scholarships, yes there'd
be plenty of grounds.

A private business can't discriminate on the basis of race any more than
the government can.

What do you think would happen if Home Depot hung a sign on the front door
that said "Whites Only"?

[Rhino]

Post by BTR1701

Post by BTR1701

Post by BTR1701
No matter what the governor says, this is blatantly illegal. Does anyone
here not think the Jazz would be under a federal civil rights investigation
if it had a scholarship program with a "blacks need not apply" caveat?
--------------------
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox defended racism against white kids during a question
and answer session with constituents on Thursday.
During the session, live-tweeted by the governor's official Twitter
account, one Utah citizen asked "if it's racist that the Utah Jazz excludes
white children from the team's scholarship program".
The program created by the NBA team allots a scholarship to a new
“"underrepresented student of color enrolling as a freshman for

the 2021-22

Post by BTR1701
school year" for every team win during the 2020-21 season basketball
season. To qualify for the funds, students must have graduated from high
school and be a "person of color". Since the program's start, the team has
handed out nearly 50 full-ride scholarships to black and minority students
only.
Despite the team's deliberate exclusion of white students from the program,
Cox said the scholarship requirements are not racist.
"It's not racist. Ryan Smith and the Jazz can do what they want with their
funds. All kids should have equal opportunities, and we're proud of the
Jazz,"he replied.
[How does excluding white kids give "all kids equal opportunities"?]
https://thefederalist.com/2021/04/16/utah-governor-defends-racism-as-long-as-its-against-white-kids/

While racism is deplorable, I'm not sure there are any legal grounds to
object to the team's awarding of scholarships to only "people of
colour". If it was the government awarding the scholarships, yes there'd
be plenty of grounds.

A private business can't discriminate on the basis of race any more than
the government can.
What do you think would happen if Home Depot hung a sign on the front door
that said "Whites Only"?

I see your point but I think some people would make a distinction
between who you will allow to patronize your business and what you can
spend your profits on. I think the average person would be far more
upset if The Jazz prevented white people from attending their games than
if they give scholarships only to "people of colour". Historically, only
serving one "race" (or banning specific "races") is seen as far more
odious than choosing to donate to a charity that only benefits one
"race" (or only excludes a given "race".) I'm not saying that's a
morally reasonable distinction, just that this is what people have
agreed to in the past.

Are you taking the point of view that individuals or organizations can't
choose to make donations to "race-based" organizations like the NAACP
and that they can only give to "colour-blind" organizations? Or even
proposing that "race-based" organizations like the NAACP (or KKK) are
illegal because they only help members of one specific "race"?