Ever more these days I feel a growing trend toward conservatism that chills me.  As scary as the potential of a baseless war is, I don't think Bush can do too much to devalue our image in the world community simply because everyone already hates americans.

On the other hand, Bush seems to want to involve himself in any issue that can get him re-elected or put his name in the history books for future generations to read.  In his recent ponderings about upcoming supreme court cases, he seems to be trying to appear as if he is taking a side on the issue yet walking the middle line.  This particular topic, race bias on college admission, is one that I can't fathom needing a discussion.

Everyone should know that there are two types of racists.  First are the kind that discriminate against a particular race.  This would be like a country club not allowing black members.  This is certainly no good.

Second are the kind that go a bit too far and discriminate for a particular race.  In an effort to make sure there is equal representation for all races, quotas and plus-systems are devised so that minorities "get a chance" in situations where they must apply for entry into universities.  This article gives examples of both types of racism.

So, if you are a member of a minority and you apply to a college with acceptible credentials, does that automatically give you a case for crying racism when you are denied entry?  Did it occur that there may be other more qualified applicants?  Were there simply not enough positions in the school available and someone had to be excluded?  Could it be that something besides race - even random selection - might have been the deciding factor in this rejection?

Even more odd is that the university in question has a system already in place to use racial bias to ensure entry for minorities.  Apparently, this is not enough.

Whatever.  I'm tired of people crying foul due to race.  I think it is wrong to omit someone because of their race.  At the same time I think it is wrong to include someone because of their race.  But I'm tired of hearing it as an excuse for why something didn't work out the way someone plans.

Moreover, it makes me ill to hear of the president making everything his business.  The executive branch has no say over the outcome of this case.  This court case is somewhere that he shouldn't mobilize an entire federal branch to state his worthless opinion.

Worse yet is that I think he knows this, is doing it anyway, and is washing out any hint of actual thought or opinion so much that it's unclear if he has an opinion at all.  Although the article that I linked above says that he's likely to consider (if he arrives at any conclusion) a view that favors the republican party in the eyes of minorities, which means that he would suggest bolstering the quota system so that more minorities supplant qualified applicants just because of the color of their skin.  Yeah, this is what gets all of the Bushes elected.

Maybe what the country needs is a federally funded system of junior colleges in areas of economic deprivation.  Just a random suggestion.

So who cares what Bush does over seas?  I can't imagine that there are many targets left in Iraq to bomb anyway.  Maybe his plan is to occupy Iraq with military and make a new nation that he can run when he's ousted in the 2004 election.  However, he should stop tinkering with things in our own country over which he has no control.

Now the matter of recent supreme court rulings is another thing entirely.

While you're here, this is a good read.