Texas is certainly one of the more interesting states regarding controversial decisions and other situations that can rile people up.

This time, a Texas group begun by Colby Bohannan, student at Texas State University in San Marcos and Iraq war veteran, has offered a minority scholarship that has some people turning heads: This scholarship is for white males.

Yep, that is correct, a minority scholarship for white males.

You see, down in good ol’ Texas, census statistics currently show just 42 percent of the Texas population to be white, non-hispanic; 10 years ago it was 50 percent.

In response, the Former Majority Association for Equality was formed to try and assist the white male demographic that Bohannon felt was missing from the usual lineup of scholarship opportunities for college: women, minorities, church affiliation and family origin.

The scholarship plan by spring 2012 school semester is to offer $1,000 to five students — double the $500 currently offered — according to the Former Majority Association for Equality website.

Eligibility for the scholarship requires only that applicants prove themselves to be at least 25 percent Caucasian.

“We’re not looking for blond-haired, blue-eyed, stereotypical white males,” Bohannan told Reuters in an interview. “My feeling is that if you can say you’re 25 percent Caucasian, you’re Caucasian enough for us.”

Despite the 25 percent requirement, some people are questioning whether the scholarship is bigotry, that this is discrimination and needs to be stopped. The group remains behind their cause of equaling the field when it comes to opportunities for would-be college students.

“We know that we’re going to be receiving some vicious attacks, from people claiming that we are racists, or promoting some bigotry-filled agenda,” Bohannan said in the Reuters interview.

Some have argued that scholarships should be given based only on merit and necessity, that privately-funded scholarships should not potentially create prejudice.

The current system of scholarships across the country consist of requirements ranging the realm of possibility: GPA, homosexuality, Christian beliefs, athletic prowess, national origin, duck-calling capability, height, Klingon language affinity and even being fat.

Though I wonder why some of these scholarships exist, and I would love to be able to apply to all of them, I cannot. Scholarships are something anyone can create for any reason they wish.

I see nothing wrong with a scholarship for white males, as I happen to be a white male, and I am a needy college student. I cannot apply for any of the many scholarships for the well-acknowledged minorities, and it is frowned on by some when I try to apply – and I advise others to – for gay scholarships. I am not gay, but I have no idea what the future holds, so I feel I should be able to apply for anything I might qualify for, but that is another topic entirely.

This new scholarship only requires proof of being 25 percent white. So many people that could qualify as a minority can still apply that I see little about this that could be classified as bigotry.

I do not see why this scholarship should raise any flags any more than a scholarship for only black students. Your race does not make you any more needy of funds for college.

Traditionally, your background may be oppressed and deserve to be looked at as if history had not demeaned you and taken away basic rights, but most people are not calling those scholarships bigoted.

I will not claim that the motives behind the group are solely to promote equality for all in college education — it is dificult to know the true motives and plans for people — but this looks to me as if they just want to help students pay for college. Considering the cutbacks across the nation to education, I am not going to complain about any scholarship being offered for any type of person or situation.

If we really want to help stop bigotry, we need to stop labeling people first and instead just see a person as a person. Where we are from and what we look like should only matter when we are learning about a person’s personality and deciding if we will be friends.

Whatever race or sex or belief you may have, you are a person, and educating people is the only way to help eliminate the crimes against “different” people throughout history. Nothing should stand in the way of education, and due to the current economic status of the country, I do not think anyone should be arguing against someone giving money away, especially for education.