Affirmative Action of a Different Kind
For Obama supporters, before getting too outraged please consider that such has been a fair area of inquiry before, most recently with George W. Bush, whose high school grades and 1206 SAT Score were subjected to scrutiny during his 2000 presidential race. At the time, W’s critics argued that Bush was an affirmative action baby of a different kind—the one who gains acceptance to elite private schools and colleges because of the blue blood that runs in his veins, not because of outstanding classroom, testing or extracurricular achievement.
So while it certainly must be frustrating for the president to have to deal with the “sideshow silliness” as it has been called, the easiest way to handle this is through complete disclosure. Lay it out there for the world to see and decide. Any attempts to dodge the issue only fuels speculation from those who would seek to find fault.
Anyone who has listened to the president, whether you agree with his policies or not, knows that he is intellectually gifted. And let’s be clear, high grades are not always an accurate depiction of intellectual heft.
In fact, it can be argued that high grades exemplify organization skills and the ability to follow rules and instruction. I have known some exceptionally gifted individuals who hated the strictures of turning assignments in on time, but on test day, would achieve the highest marks.
Or consider Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who reportedly was a “C” student during his days as a student, writer, pool hustler and ladies man at Morehouse College. Few individuals who listened to him speak during his career or have read his philosophical works, like the classic “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, can doubt King’s intellectual gifts.
So go ahead, Mr. President, release the records and rest assured that most Americans are far more concerned with lowering the unemployment rate and national security then what grades you earned as a kid.
