The 2 sides of Affirmative Action

[Si modo]

Affirmative Action is an executive order prohibiting discrimination in the work place. I have no problem with that executive order.

That execuive order is discrimination. When one group is given preferential treatment over another group, that is descrimination plain and simple.

I suggest you read it again. It does not give preferential treatment to another group at all. Qualifications are the primary deciding factor.

 

[IanC]

the civil rights movement of the 50's and 60's presupposed that blacks would catch up to whites if the playing field was even. because the field was uneven it was necessary to help one side even if it meant discriminating by race.

the expected result was that blacks would take advantage of beneficial conditions to create a middle class strata of society that would be self-sustaining, giving rise to a new generation that would compete on their own merits. that black businesses would spring up to nurture their own culture and give young blacks a good start in life.

to a certain extent, this is what happened. there is a large black middle class. many black children take advantage of education to keep themselves going forward. unfortunately not as many as hoped. AA was not meant to be a permanent thing but now blacks are labelled as a permanently disadvantaged group because the gap in disparate outcomes, which originally changed dramatically, has become a static feature of society. the law of diminishing returns has kicked in and less and less results are being seen for the same (or greater) costs of racial discrimination to keep the field tilted.

I, personally, am for Affirmative Action but it has to be centred on the individual not racial quotas. every black child who shows promise in becoming educated should be treated like a diamond in the rough but there should be actual thresholds being met, not just being the best black available. people often meet expectations when they know what the expectations are and what the rewards for meeting them will be.

 

[editec]

What's wrong with a program that discriminates as a way to level the discrimination playing field?

If it descriminates against those who don't benefit from the past descrimination?

Then it isn't righting any wrongs, it is merely adding to the wrongs that exist already.

 

[IanC]

What's wrong with a program that discriminates as a way to level the discrimination playing field?

If it descriminates against those who don't benefit from the past descrimination?

Then it isn't righting any wrongs, it is merely adding to the wrongs that exist already.

if AA had brought blacks up to equality of outcomes we would all think it was great and it would no longer be necessary. it has not fufilled that dream but for the greater good of society some effort should be put into raising the conditions that blacks live in.

 

[xsited1]

What's wrong with a program that discriminates as a way to level the discrimination playing field?

If it descriminates against those who don't benefit from the past descrimination?

Then it isn't righting any wrongs, it is merely adding to the wrongs that exist already.

if AA had brought blacks up to equality of outcomes we would all think it was great and it would no longer be necessary. it has not fufilled that dream but for the greater good of society some effort should be put into raising the conditions that blacks live in.

IMO, the only people who can "raise the conditions that blacks live in" are blacks themselves. There needs to be a grassroots effort within the black community to strengthen the family unit and reject government dependency.

 

[Lonestar_logic]

How do you check to see whether or not someone is discriminating?

I think you should have the right to like or dislike anyone for whatever reason you choose and you should be able to hire accordingly.

That's evasive, but you're certainly welcome to have an opinion.

It's not evasive. I think a person can discriminate if they so choose, it's called freedom of choice. I don't have to like fat people, I don't have to hire fat people and I don't give a rat's ass who it offends.

 

[editec]

What's wrong with a program that discriminates as a way to level the discrimination playing field?

If it descriminates against those who don't benefit from the past descrimination?

Then it isn't righting any wrongs, it is merely adding to the wrongs that exist already.

if AA had brought blacks up to equality of outcomes we would all think it was great and it would no longer be necessary. it has not fufilled that dream but for the greater good of society some effort should be put into raising the conditions that blacks live in.

That's of course the noble goal, but if it is paid for by the very people who did not benefit from previous historical injustice, then seriously...

..that isn't a very good solution, now is it?