Chewbacca Mom’s Family Gets Scholarships Because Racism. [VIDEO]

Chewbacca Mom’s Family Gets Scholarships Because Racism. [VIDEO]

Chewbacca Mom’s Family Gets Scholarships Because Racism. [VIDEO]

Remember this simple video from last month when the so-named “Chewbacca Mom” donned a wookie mask, and her infectious laughter and joy caused the video to go viral? And I mean, VIRAL?

Let’s review. Because we all could use a good belly laugh these days.

It was because of the viral nature of the video and the revelation that Candace Payne, aka “Chewbacca Mom,” is a devout Christian who writes and performs her own Christian songs that led Southeastern University, a private Christian school in Florida, to provide Payne and her entire family with full scholarships.

But not everyone is pleased; in fact, some people are just plain butthurt over Payne and her family striking gold with a silly video. Because. . . racism.

A writer at the MSN’s The Daily Dot whined that while Candace Payne’s family got scholarships (from a private college, mind you, not a taxpayer-funded public school) for internet silliness, it’s just not fair that black kids playing on the internet can’t strike similar gold.

It’s true, free tuition is an oversized prize for such easily begotten fame. It’s also true that the real rewards for online success tend to heavily favor insta-celebrities who are white.

This, in a nation that has a black president, where Beyoncé rules the pop charts, and hip-hop music can be heard blasting from car stereos in white suburbs. A nation where professional football and basketball are dominated by black athletes, and the death of boxer Muhammed Ali warrants wall-to-wall news coverage.  Self-awareness isn’t a strong suit among social justice warriors.

If I were the president of Southeastern University, would I have offered full-ride scholarships to Candace Payne and her family? Probably not, not just for her 15 minutes of fame. But as I pointed out above, this is a private college which can do with its scholarship funds as it sees fit.

It’s not as if black Americans are bereft of any sort of scholarship availability. BET TV listed nine prominent scholarships for which black students can apply.

Beyoncé herself has established the Shawn Carter Foundation, named after her husband, aimed at providing scholarships for impoverished students.

Look online, or go to any high school counselor’s office, and you can find a plethora of scholarships for minority students.

However, this year’s ultimate recipient of a full-ride scholarship was not Candace Payne. His name is Alix Idrache, and you may have seen his picture going viral on the internet as well.

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Alix Idrache was weeping emotional tears for the opportunity the United States and the U.S. Army provided him with the full-ride scholarship he earned from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. In a short seven years the nation brought him from a working class neighborhood in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, barely speaking English, to graduating from one of the nation’s most prestigious schools.

Alix said,

“People where I’m from don’t grow up to be pilots right? Like they don’t dream of flying a helicopter, that’s not something you do. You don’t just say I’m going to be a pilot and make it happen. There’re no aviation, there’re no helicopters, no flight schools. There’re none of that.”

Not only did Alix manage to graduate from one of the toughest schools in the world, he also managed to earn the Brigadier General Gerald A. Counts Memorial Award for earning the highest rating in his Physics classes. As West Point’s top ranking graduate in physics, Alix will enter the Army Aviation Center in for Excellence in Fort Rucker, Alabama, next month.

Candace Payne happened to hit the jackpot with her viral Chewbacca Mom video. It’s not likely that the lightning will strike twice again. For the vast majority of Americans — of whatever race — scholarships will be awarded to those who work hard to achieve their academic dreams. Alix Idrache is a perfect example of that.

Written by

Kim is a pint-sized patriot who packs some big contradictions. She is a Baby Boomer who never became a hippie, an active Republican who first registered as a Democrat (okay, it was to help a sorority sister's father in his run for sheriff), and a devout Lutheran who practices yoga. Growing up in small-town Indiana, now living in the Kansas City metro, Kim is a conservative Midwestern gal whose heart is also in the Seattle area, where her eldest daughter, son-in-law, and grandson live. Kim is a working speech pathologist who left school system employment behind to subcontract to an agency, and has never looked back. She describes her conservatism as falling in the mold of Russell Kirk's Ten Conservative Principles. Don't know what they are? Google them!

4 Comments
  • J walter says:

    Keep an eye On that young man. He is an inspiration to everyone.

  • GWB says:

    In a short seven years the nation brought him….

    Nooo. In seven years the nation only allowed him to unleash his potential. HE worked to get where he is. While USMA probably did give him extra points for his immigrant status, it was more likely based on his overcoming obstacles than merely his foreignness. (I know you know this, but it needed pointing out, imho.)

    And, yes, I concur that those whining about Chewbacca Mom are disingenuous or ignorant. As to deserving? There are PLENTY of scholarships out there that have absolutely nothing to do with “deserving”.

  • Gary says:

    Chewbacca Mom should be ashamed for parking in a “No Blacks Allowed” parking lot, shopping at a “No Blacks Allowed” store, purchasing a “No Blacks Allowed to Buy” product, sit in her “No Blacks Allowed” vehicle, make a video for her “No Blacks Allowed” family and then posting it on a “No Blacks Allowed” media platform.
    Those scholarships her family received are probably from a “No Blacks Allowed” institution.
    When are blacks going to be allowed to park, shop, and share their happiness with their family on social media platforms?
    How ridiculous can someone be to think this is a racist issue.
    She brought laughter and happiness to thousands of viewers (including minorities I bet).
    Racism will never end if people continue to fan the flames.

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