Then why not choose randomly from them? If an Asian student and a black student both get perfect, identical results from huge amounts of hard work and intelligence, why should the Asian student be discriminated against? What have they done wrong, other than be part of a larger group that tends to put more effort in? Why should they be punished for other groups not putting in the same amount of effort theirs does? How is decreasing their probability of success based on race factors they cannot control anything but blatant and disgusting racism?
Because we can do better than "random" to create superior outcomes for society. Right now, society hurts some racial groups and helps other racial groups. Picking candidates based on their race, once everyone remaining is qualified, helps undo some small part of that societal damage.
Improving campus diversity helps the kids too, as it exposes them to a more representative group of people that they're likely to encounter into the world, rather than one or a few massively overrepresented groups to the exclusion of other, less resource-available and marginalized groups. It makes the school better at preparing kids for post-college life.
Getting into Harvard, for the people who would do well at Harvard, is only one of many potential successful life paths for those kids. I think it's well past time we stop pretending like it's either Harvard or the streets.
Besides, if you're so disgusted by racism, you should be in support of trying to correct for it, not opposed. Doing nothing (what you suggested by applying "randomness") is how the current racist systems continue to thrive. Doing nothing is what the racists want, so they can keep on being racist, and holding down the "inferior" races (as they see it).
Picking candidates based on their race is not racism as it does not suggest one candidate is superior to another due to their race.
Acknowledging the racism of others is not the same as supporting ideas or policies that promote one racial group as superior in any way to any other racial group.
You can not correct racism by making society race blind, but you can perpetuate racism that way! Why do you think the racists prefer we remain at the status quo?
There is no substantive difference between what you’re suggesting here and what a white supremacist would suggest in the same situation, having already successfully poisoned the well for minorities in the US.
