Guerilla College Affirmative Action

 The self-righteous majority on the Supreme Court, having declared affirmative action dead, are likely celebrating. But, cloistered in universities, legal libraries and court chambers for most of their adult lives, they are unaware their supposed victory is no victory at all. 

It is almost absurdly easy for university entrance departments to ensure a diverse student body by deliberately admitting a cadre of minority students each year. 

A careful reading of applications, essays and recommendations can be as enlightening as a photograph. Home and school addresses can be checked against demographic information. Household income in financial aid applications can be another indication of one's race, although sadly. Interning with the United Farmworkers union and fluency in Spanish is a pretty good sign of ethnicity as is a last name ending in the letter Z. 

Seven of the eight Ivy League colleges as well as other elite schools such as the remaining members of the Seven Sisters women-only institutions require interviews with alums as part of the process. I sincerely doubt applicants are placed behind screens during the discussions. 

Unfortunately, many students worry about reverse discrimination. Tyler Austin Harper, an assistant professor at Bates College wrote in the New York Times about his time working as an admissions consultant. He came across students seeking help in sounding less Asian because they feared top universities ignored their qualifications in the name of diversity. Some students Harper counseled wanted to appear "less rich and less white."

Fears of ongoing discrimination are well founded. The University of California at Berkeley bans the use of race in admissions. It's undergraduate enrollment is 19.5 percent Asian despite the fact 55 percent of the state's high school population is Asian.

In a brief supporting the losing side in the court's affirmative decision, the University of California system stated, "UC's experience demonstrates that the race-neutral measures which it has diligently pursued for 25 years have been inadequate to meaningfully increase student-body diversity and that the problem is most acute at its most selective campuses."

Perhaps UC and other elite institutions should be less diligent, more street smart and make a real commitment to a diverse student body.

Movies That Must Be Made

Some years ago I attended a movie premiere and joked to producer Janet Yang (The Joy Luck Club; The People vs Larry Flynt; The Weight of Water) that I was likely the only person in the room who didn't have an idea for  a screenplay. 

Since then, Covid and Donald Trump persuaded me that my innate anti-authoritarian streak was to be embraced rather than suppressed. And my imagination has run rampant fueled by long hours of idleness. I would never share my ideas with Janet because her innate grace and good manners would force her to stifle a desire to flee. But I'm happy to offer one here because the three people who might read it can simply cancel me with a click.

 The Monarch and Me. This dramedy is best suited for a UK or Europeans limited cable series because it could turn into a documentary. 

A new monarch has moved into Buckingham Palace, one with a hidden agenda and a really smart lawyer. Shortly after the coronation she (I prefer a female in the role) dissolves Parliament, something entirely within her purview. She refuses to recall the lawmakers unless they call an election and pledge in a legally binding way to enact fundamental reforms such as increased healthcare spending, a fair immigration policy and stringent environmental protections. 

Of course everyone goes crazy save for the civil service, which keeps life ticking over while the politicos muck things up. With no written constitution there's no lawful way to oust a monarch and a coup is out of the question because the many factions and parties cannot agree on how to handle the aftermath. Besides, everyone in the military has sworn before god to offer their loyalty to the crown. 

The queen begins assuming more direct control of government, ruling through an advisory board - like in the old days actually. She doesn't bother with perceptions and declines to deal with what she considers the minor matters parliament once embraced so dearly. Polls start to indicate the people warming to her quick decision making and lack of pretense. The only ones in a lather are those who have lost status and power.

Other nations didn't know what to make of the initial situation. Friendlies were patronizing, assuming things would return to the old ways after the queen made her point about... whatever. Enemies primed to take full advantage of the unsettled situation until a cadre of senior UK military leaders made it abundantly clear they would tolerate no mucking about, particularly with their newly bolstered budgets. 

Eventually power-starved parliamentarians accede to the queen's demands. An election is called and a campaign run. The last scene is of the queen watching returns on televisions as news anchors excitedly report a spontaneous and almost universal voter boycott in support for the way the queen is running things. The last shot is the queen looking into the camera with a sly, knowing grin on her face.