I think only the Asians as a culture really appreciate the right qualities - intelligence, hard work, achievement, family, sacrifice. But it's worse among blacks on average, and has a worse impact on blacks because on average blacks start with less wealth, influence and connections. George W. Bush for instance would have been hard pressed not to succeed; Barack Obama could have easily failed to succeed, despite being half white and having money on his mother's side. I certainly would not argue that whites appreciate the correct virtues in our culture, but as one of those who stood out - advanced classes, 99.5% achievement tests, and such - I never felt shunned or oppressed by anyone growing up. But then my grades weren't particularly good anyway (outside of the very advanced courses) so perhaps my experience was non-typical.
Lot's of biases flying around in this thread.
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model minority myth. Some Asian American populations do well, but overall their poverty and education levels are comparable with other minorities. In fact, many Asian Americans have faced discrimination on two levels: for being "too" white, and for not being "white enough." Perpetration of such myths is often a way (unconscious or not) for dominant groups to maintain power by turning minority groups against each other. Many Asian American communities share values closer aligned with Latino and African American members, such as collectivism.
I think you are incorrect about Obama only being popular because he was black. In the Democrat primaries his appeal extended much further than to just African Americans, he also captured the young vote, as well as those with advanced education. Many weren't buying what Hillary was selling, or were dismayed by her "inevitable" attitude. You can poke fun at his use of teleprompters, but his public speaking skills and ability to deliver a speech are top notch in comparison to many politicians. He has charisma. Some didn't like his debate performances because he wasn't as fluid, but I personally felt like he was actually thinking about questions and trying to deliver a good answer, rather than a talking point.
I don't see much difference in how education is valued across races. There are some minorities who view education as the "white mans" games, but it hasn't struck me as being any different in size from the number of whites who view the educated with disdain. Most of the minorities I have worked with see education as a way of escaping poverty. A poor view of the educated is pretty universal. It isn't even exclusive to those with relatively low education levels, in college and graduate school there is a lot of angst directed towards students who "break the curve."
Affirmative action does not mean a lowering of standards, and such an assertion is ridiculous and
unsupported by evidence. Affirmative action programs can have positive and negative impacts, and it generally boils down to how the program is being implemented. As far as I'm concerned, the benefits I've gained from being exposed to people from different backgrounds has far outweighed any negative consequences.
As a white male who is a relative minority in my profession (mental health counseling), my own experience with affirmative action programs have been mostly positive. It helps to increase the diversity of opinions and strengthen my overall education. Since I am one of the few men in the program and have been awarded some opportunities other students have not, I work harder to "earn" the privileges I have been given. I especially do not want to give the impression that I am taking my opportunities for granted.
That said, I'm hoping we can get to a place when Affirmative Action programs take into account socioeconomic status in addition to gender and race. They are an imperfect attempt to account for the vast disparities in opportunity that exist across these factors. Put another way: you can pull on those boot straps all you want, it doesn't do a damn bit of good if they just snap off.