Editor,
As a half-breed, Mexican/White mix, I have a perplexing problem with regards to the "quota cookies" booth. Do I claim to be Mexican and buy my cookie for 25 cents or do I own up to my whiteness and pay $1.50 for the same cookie? Or, should I pay $1.75, because I am both a Mexican and white male? Or, should there be another price created for me since I belong to a different category than is listed on the price sheet?
Better yet, let me bring a lawsuit against the College Republicans for causing mental duress over my cookie decision, or for lack of affirmative action on behalf of half-breeds.
Actually, I would like to commend the College Republicans for bringing clarity to this issue in a very creative and refreshing venue - kudos!
Since I look Mexican and have a Hispanic surname, I have had the displeasure of encountering discrimination at my old UNM fraternity, various workplaces and during my 18-and-a-half-years as an Air Force reservist.
However, it is precisely because of my experiences with discrimination that I believe that affirmative action - or reverse discrimination - is wrong. I grew up in East San Jose, Calif., where Low Rider magazine was born, with parents who were on welfare and dealt drugs on the side to make ends meet.
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So, one might think that I would be championing the cause of giving minorities a "hand-up." But, by the grace of God, I have never succumbed to the victim mentality that affirmative action fosters.
Likewise, I appreciate the College Republicans willingness to subsidize my cookie, but I'd rather trust God to help me find a way to pony up the full price. I think it just might taste better that way.
Cali Garcia
UNM alumnus
