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African americans need to undertand that the only person holding them down and hurting them is themselves. Academic achievment needs to become the "cool" way instead of self destruction. We all know it and until it occurs whites will contiue to perform better than us on simple tests. Go to schoold and stop complaining and learn to learn and you will rise to the top.

As was discussed in the show the test was altered but generally had a similar pass fail representation based from the pool taking the test. What dramatically changed were the entrance qualifications for taking the test. College level credits were not part of the standards to take the test. The significances of cognitive level tests or for that matter college credits in depicting future abilities of a firefighter could be debated. Removing easily attainable goals that promote self improvement in order to satiate quotas is expecting less of your general population. In an age were college level education is tantamount to the high school education of past generations removing standards that better your pool of applicants pass or fail is a tragedy.

The bottom line is that the New York city fire department is one of best and most technologically advanced in the world. It works as is. Why lower standards such as the college credit requirement to attract candidates? Why dumb down the department? Candidates should be more educated with this new technology not less. Of course minorities should be encouraged to apply, but in the absence of blatant discrimination, and none has been proven, why is there such a desperation to diversify? Why does evey department have to reflect the exact demographics of the city? It would be a shame to compromise the quality of a first rate department only to satisfy a politically correct directive.