Social Scientist Andrew Hacker Asked White College Students How Much

question 6

Multiple Choice

Social scientist Andrew Hacker asked white college students how much they would seek in compensation if they were suddenly changed from white to black. Most indicated:

• A) it would be out of place to ask for any sum because at most a small sliver of wealth was passed down by inheritance for a generation or two.
• B) it would be out of place to ask for any sum because resources were largely consumed by the miscreants who extracted them from the backs of slaves.
• C) it would be out of place to ask for any sum because essentially all the wealth that exists in the U.S. today was produced by the inventiveness of an array of inventors, entrepreneurs, immigrants, and countless others and no fund of wealth survives the demise of slavery and Jim Crow.
• D) it would not be out of place to ask for $50 million or $1 million for each coming black year.
• E) that the extensive affirmative action programs, both public and private, that have gained traction in the post-Civil Rights period is sufficient and hence, it would be out of place to ask for any sum.

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Definitions:

Buddhists

Followers of Buddhism, a spiritual tradition founded by Siddhartha Gautama in the 6th century BCE, focusing on overcoming suffering through practices like meditation and ethical living.

Epitaphs

Short texts written in memory of a deceased person, often inscribed on their tombstone, reflecting the person's life or the feelings of those who are left behind.

Social Class

A division of society based on social and economic status.

Headstone

A grave marker placed at the head of a grave, typically inscribed with the deceased's name, dates of birth and death, and sometimes a personal message or prayer.