My thoughts about the current state of the board.

[Jdawgflow]

I feel the need to finally speak up on all of these posts since the return of BHD.

First, I go to a very small private undergraduate school and am about to get my BS in Biology. I will then be leaving for Med school in the fall at Mercer University. I am aware that these two schools are not "top" schools, but I feel like I have definately received a great education thus far and will continue to do so.

Just because someone gets high test scores or goes to the "best" schools does not make anyone better than someone else. Some of the smartest people I know didn't even go to college (and most of the others just got their BS or associates degree).

Second, having common sense is also important. Very important. And so is treating other people with respect and being kind and reasonable. Since BHD came back to this site, there has been way too much "discussion" going on here that does not need to happen.

BHD, I want you to know that I have absolutely no problem with you when you come here to post about basketball. You seem to be knowledgable about the sport. But all of this other stuff needs to stop.

I remember when you last got banned. You were posting the same nonsense that you started this time around (and for one of your first posts no less). If you feel the need to continue posting from a seemingly "racial soapbox", please do not continue to do it on this site. I, for one, come here to read posts about the Hawks (or just post about leisure topics like movies) and I am sure most others do as well.

Finally, I am asking that everyone here please not get caught up in the controvery that BHD likes to create with many of his posts. This has happened multiple times in the 3-4 years that I have posted here. I almost left the board once because of the bickering and lack of legitimate posts that persisted for a time. This board provides a lot of enjoyment for many Hawks fans. It does not need to be ruined because of issues that should be discussed elsewhere.

I am sorry that this was long. And I know my voice probably does not mean much to most here because I post little; but the amount of time I spend reading this board (especially the length of time) probably is up there with at least half of the current posters.

I just want to see this board continue to get better and not regress. The good people that run this site put a lot of hard work into it I am sure. Screwing that up for absolutely no good reason just does not make sense in my eyes.

[Diesel]

I'm not commenting on BHD...

However, about schooling.

I have found that it is where you go...

Our current president was a "C" student at Yale.

Our last presidential candidate was a "D" student at Yale.

It's not what you know, it's where you go.

"Smart" people are passed over all the time by People who know the right people and have been to the right places.

[Jdawgflow]

I guess it is a good thing that being around the "right people" and going to the "right places" is not a concern of mine then. Dealing with that attitude is something that something I have a really hard time with. IMO, people should be judged on how they treat other people (i.e. their character). But I am still young, so being around this will probably get worse as I move to a bigger city and deal with the "important" people of the world.

Oh well.

[chillzatl]

There will always be those who feel the suit makes the man, so to speak, and not the other way around. Learning to avoid and ignore those people is one of lifes great tests.

[Diesel]

The unfortunate part is that most of those people are in the positions of power.

Trump = Wharton School of Business.

Bill Gates = Lakeside School.

Paul Allen = Lakeside School.

John Kluge = Columbia University.

Malcolm Forbes = Princeton University...

[Diesel]

I'm not doubting that you can't recieve an education.. nor am I doubting that you can't get a good education at Mercer.. Hell, my best friend has a degree from Mercer and he's doing pretty good.

My point..

If my son was going to med school right now, I would want him to go to Johns Hopkins because it's the best medical school in the nation. Then I would want him to do his residency at a top Hospital. The point being is that Where you go means a whole lot in industry... From my experience, where you go is about 85% of the ball game.

Of course, after you get to where you're going you will have to prove yourself..

however, some people never get to where they want to go because of where they have been.

[Jdawgflow]

I don't think that you are doubting my ability to get an education. And I also understand what you are saying about which school you go to being important in our society.

I guess my main point is that just because our society AS A WHOLE thinks that, that sentiment is not true for everyone. There are a lot of people that are happy where they are. Not everyone wants power or position or whatever. That does not define everyone (and please understand that I am not saying you should not want your son to go to Johns Hopkins or wherever else). I just don't think what school we go to should define a person (much like skin color should not define a person).

[AHF]

Where you go matters less than who you know, too!

There have been some pretty darn important people from Mercer and other "small" schools. The most powerful law firm in Atlanta has very strong Mercer connections, for example.

[Jdawgflow]

That is a good point, too.

This thread has turned out differently than I hoped, though. The reason I was using myself as an example was to get the point across that a good education is how that particular person views it (i.e. does it get them where THEY want to go). It was getting annoying to read the same posts about racism; and the person who was claiming this was then stereotyping people who are not "Ivy League". I just think that is hypocritical.

Mostly, I just want this board not to get bogged down with everyone getting riled up over issues that should be discussed elsewhere. This board should be for the Hawks. Not a place to pick a fight because someone has a chip on their shoulder. And it is especially annoying when the same person does it multiple times over the course of a couple of years (and possibly as many bannings).

[CBAreject]

I started the controversy by defending Walter's WCU education when BHD attacked him. I have a chip on my shoulder when it comes to BHD, and I was not happy to see him back.

Quote:

---

Just because someone gets high test scores or goes to the "best" schools does not make anyone better than someone else

---

I share this belief, and this is why I reacted to BHD the way I did. It is true that a person's intelligence cannot be ascertained by simply looking at his SAT score or his undergraduate institution. People have many circumstances that govern their college selection. Furthermore, schools that are ranked highly may attract better students on average, but that doesn't mean that they have a tougher or more extensive curriculum.

There's another issue you bring up here, though. Sure, we can't say that one individual is certainly smarter than another just because he went to a "better" college What's more, we CERTAINLY can't say that he is a better person for that reason.

However, you have to realize that not everyone feels this way. The *worth* of an individual is a highly subjective matter. I am of the belief that all men are created equal. BHD, however, believes that a person who is wealthy has more worth than someone who is poor. He also believes that race is a factor in evaluating personal worth.

Let me make a disclaimer, though. The statement that "all men are created equal" is contingent upon the belief that men were "created", or endowed by life by God [even if you believe in macro-evolution]. That life is sacred because it is God-given. In truth, people are of different socio-economic worth. In terms of man's measures, we are not in the least bit equal. Some people are smarter than others. Some are wealthier than others. Some are better athletes. On the other hand, some people have cerebral palsy and can't take care of themselves. How are they equal to those who achieve more? Men are not equal because we say so. If there were no God, it would be hard for a bunch of people to come together and decide that the life of the cripple on the ventilator is as valuable as that of the millionaire celebrity. Saying so would be entirely illogical if you believed that man was at the top of the authoritarian hierarchy. By all measures we come up with (wealth, education, looks, fitness, achievement), human beings are by no means equal.

[CBAreject]

BRAVO for getting accepted to medical school. Most people who enter college as pre-meds don't end up getting accepted to med school. Medicine is a lot of work, and it isn't the best way to make a bunch of money and buy yourself lots of fancy meaningless stuff. However, it's very rewarding, and you have a chance to impact a lot of people.

On the subject of "rankings", it is highly unlikely that your patients will ask you where you went to med school. Even if they do ask you, they likely don't know which schools are "higher ranked" than others, anyway. You might not realize it yet, but you won't really learn to be a doctor in medical school. You'll learn that in your residency. Those 4 years of med school prepare you to pass the boards and decide which specialty is best for you.

The groundwork knowledge you build in med school isn't likely any better at Hopkins than it is at Mercer. The reason big schools get their reputation is that they bring in massive amounts of research funding. The most respected academic docs work at those institutions, but you would be sorely mistaken to believe those big-shots take much time to teach 3rd year students general medicine.

[Diesel]

I agree that Who you know has a lot to do with the what ultimately happens.

However, let me ask you this:

You are in the interviewing process, interviewing someone who wants to work for your company.

One person graduated with a Computer Science degree from MIT.

One person graduated with a Computer Science degree from Sam Houston State University.

Both have excellent references.

Both have excellent grades.

Both interview fairly well.

You mean to tell me that you will ignore their schooling and will go in your back room and flip a coin??

Of course not. The fact that you have a qualified person who is a graduate from MIT will probably make you choose him over the qualified graduated from SHSU.

If where you go was so unimportant then there would be no college rankings...

US News and World Reports top issue every year is the college Ranking issue...

[Jdawgflow]

Thank you for the "BRAVO"! I am very excited about this next step.

[Jdawgflow]

I agree with you on all points. I wasn't making my post in reference to your retort; the entire reason for my post was just for people to ignore BHD from now on since he obviously has no leg to stand on with his arguments (and again, I want to point out that BHD's BASKETBALL knowledge is usually sound and his BASKETBALL opinions are often interesting...these posts are worth responding to).

The reasoning that you gave in defense of your points (I also appreciate the comments from AHF and Chillzatl) in the "discussion" BHD had with you was impressive in my opinion. And your thoughts about the worth of individuals in this previous post were, too.

I am also of the opinion that God gives us our worth. He is our Creator and made all of us unique and perfect in His eyes. Because of this belief, I have a very difficult time listening to people who claim discrimination and then in the next post discriminate against others. It doesn't matter what how you do it, it is the same thing.

[AHF]

Quote:

---

I agree that Who you know has a lot to do with the what ultimately happens.

However, let me ask you this:

You are in the interviewing process, interviewing someone who wants to work for your company.

One person graduated with a Computer Science degree from MIT.

One person graduated with a Computer Science degree from Sam Houston State University.

Both have excellent references.

Both have excellent grades.

Both interview fairly well.

You mean to tell me that you will ignore their schooling and will go in your back room and flip a coin??

Of course not. The fact that you have a qualified person who is a graduate from MIT will probably make you choose him over the qualified graduated from SHSU.

If where you go was so unimportant then there would be no college rankings...

US News and World Reports top issue every year is the college Ranking issue...

---

If the person who went to SHSU is the CEO's son, he may have the job regardless! Likewise, if one person is the Validictorian as SHSU who has hands on experience that person may still be more qualified than a bottom 25% Harvard grad who is new to an industry.

I agree with you that going to a more highly regarded school will open more doors for you, all other things being equal. Other factors like salary demand; career goals; experience; personality; etc. are all going to factor into a hiring decision.

* * * * *

Incidently, I attended a Black Law Student Association award banquet last night with a lot of outstanding young people who were being honored for their success at Emory over the last year. Thurbert Baker (GA's Attorney General) was the speaker and did an impressive job. It was a good time.

They were expressly looking to maximize their options when they left school by networking with BLSA members at UGA, GA St. etc. in addition to having the prestige of the Emory name next to their degrees. No reason who you know and where you went to school can't help you succeed in life.

[Diesel]

That's all I'm saying...

This world pays attention to more than just the degree.

Unfortunately, I have seen people who were vastly less qualified from an Ivey League school get the nod over a more qualified person from a lesser known school. As to say that because he went to an Ivey league school, he has better experiences... (in some cases it's true)...

But, This doesn't define the person, however, the person needs to realize that that's how a lot of our society think and work.

The right name open doors.

Back to JDawgflow..

There's nothing wrong with being prepared for discrimination. You suggest that there's some conflict between I guess BHD calling somebody for discrimination and then pointing out the differences in education.

I don't side with BHD..

But

A person ought to know that discrimination does exist and is being propagated.. (US NEWS World Reports College guide).

So just like every Black Person knows that there are certain places that they shouldn't go to and be in past sundown... every College age student ought to know that future employers put some weight on what school you have attended.