Your Mandarin is old enough to remember when it was an honor and a privilege for the best and brightest students to be awarded an appointment to one of our nation’s military academies. Upon graduation these young men and women would be charged with leading troops into battle, formulating military policies and strategy, assessing enemy threats, and handling multi-million dollar weapons systems. But now we learn via an article from Patrick Buchanan on Human Events online that the Naval Academy in Annapolis has lowered its admission standards with the goal of having a more diverse student body.

This should come as no surprise to anyone that has followed the trend of college admissions in this country over the last 30 years. Your Mandarin understands the noble goal of providing equal opportunities for all members of society. The problem is that the way this has been accomplished is not to make all admissions color-blind (try filling out any application without having to check a box that identifies what racial group you belong to) but rather to lower standards to allow those who are less qualified a chance to enter, even if it is at the expense of those who are truly more qualified for the position.

Hey, racism stinks no matter who the victim is. God forbid that we keep the standards high and pull people up to these standards. Instead, universities and government have determined that it is just easier to lower the standards. I have never been able to figure out how a standardized exam is racially biased. Is the answer of what does 1 + 1 equal different based on what race you belong to? No it is not. Is it true that African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans don’t do as well on these tests as “Caucasian-Americans”, yes, but it is not because these other groups are not “genetically” equal, it is because they are victims of the very groups that claim to want to help them (teachers union, Democrats, etc.). If you doubt this, take a look at inner-city schools, union rules preventing the dismissal of underperforming teachers, and the Democrats cancelling of school vouchers in Washington D.C.

John F. Kennedy when asked why we were going to the moon stated that, “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.” If we took this attitude to improving our schools and education system in this country, this would benefit everyone and lead to a diverse workplace based on true qualifications.

Let’s face reality, not everyone is destined, qualified, motivated, or psychologically cut out for every job or university program that is out there. The truth of the matter is that someone needs to pave our roads, build our cars, and make my fries at Sonic.

The Mandarin

The Mandarin, whose real name is 吏恆, joined the order in 1309, and introduced the Gormogons into England during the 18th Century.

The Mandarin enjoys spending time with his pet manticore, Βάρἰκος, or Barry (who can be found in the Bestiary). When not in the Castle…well, frankly, nobody is quite sure where he goes.

The Mandarin popularized the fine art of “gut booting,” by which he delivers a powerful kick to the stomach of anyone that annoys him. Although nearly universal today, the act of gut booting or threatening someone or something with a gut boot is solely due to him.