So, a bit of background here. I am 1/8 Native American, legally I could identify as such though I never have because I have never been discriminated against and looking at me you would never know it. I have a friendly acquaintance that was recently admitted into 3 top-10 MBA programs. In conversation it came up that he checked Native American on his applications because he knew "the admission committees would never look into it". Now I'm not saying he got in solely because of this, but I have to believe the background he reported looked more compelling than being the stereotypical white male MBA applicant. I'm not retelling this because I intend to report him. It's none of my business. But I've recently been passed over for two jobs that I got pretty far into the process for and lost out to other applicants. It's now got me wondering if things might have somehow been different if I identified myself as Native American on the applications. So my question to you, moving forward would it be wrong of me to mark on documents where asked to self identify if I reported being Native American? As I've stated, it's never been a hindrance for me, I've never been discriminated against (that I'm aware of). In all honesty, I've led a pretty blessed life, but it stings to know people are getting ahead dishonestly claiming something that I could rightfully claim and have not. Any thoughts?
I would check the box. They asked the question and you answered honestly - period. Why not use what is ethically yours to use to your advantage? Hope that made sense, it did in my head. I knew a woman who was a friend that went to med school with government funding and she "looked white" but was 1/4 or 1/8 American Indian. She did agree to serve the Indian community for a cerrtain period when she was done with school.
The answer to many ethical questions such as this is often "would you want your mother to know what you did?" or "how would you feel if this were reported on the front page of the local newspaper?". Like you, I've had the opportunity to claim a minority status that might (probably would have) helped, but never have. It didn't feel right for me. That doesn't mean it isn't right for you.
It sounds like you feel that even though it's true that saying so would give you an unfair advantage you don't deserve. If that's the case, there's nothing wrong with checking "decline to answer", which is also true and probably more honorable.
This kind of made me chuckle. An "unfair advantage you don't deserve". Does anyone deserve an unfair advantage?
I would not look forward to doing business with this man. Who knows what other misrepresentations he'll make or corners he'll cut when he thinks nobody's looking?
When taking out a small business loan, my dad was asked about his heritage. He is from more than one ethnicity. The government loan officer told him to check [x] box instead of [y] "because then they won't come after you if you default." :-X It is sad that those who purport to erase color lines are the ones who most often point it out. We always mark "decline to state" or "other". It's nobody's business. Affirmative action, where it still exists, is insulting. It begins with the assumption that someone is "less" due to the color of their great-grandfather's skin.
