Should race/ethnicity be taken into account?

Question

1) In government hiring and admission to public universities?

2) In screening passengers for threats at airports and in other similar contexts?

Should it be a factor at all? To what extent?

Would you apply different tests for 1 and 2 above? Why or why not?

So far, most are coming down for the same test in both situations!

Answer 1

1) I believe that the best person for a job should get it, regardless of race or religion (possible exceptions include priests, popes, rabbis etc)
2) In an ideal world, this would not happen, but as this is NOT an ideal world, and at the moment there is a very real threat specifically due to the tiny minority of fanatical Muslims, I cannot see any way around it... this may make life tougher for the innocent majority of people of Middle Eastern origins, but that can't be helped at the moment. P.S. I'm English, and my mother is currently hosting two language students, one from Saudi Arabia and one from Morocco, so I have a good understanding of the difficulties that they are facing!

Answer 2

For question 1, I would say that race/ethnicity are irrelevant when admitting students to a university. All qualified students should be eligible for an education-that would also include those students who are discriminated against based on financial considerations.

As far as question 2 is concerned, that's kind of a loaded question. At what point does screening become profiling? In the university example, admitting people of different origins poses no threat to the general population of the country. When it comes to admitting people into our country, however, it seems that a preponderance of terrorists are of an Arab background. Unfortunately, it seems necessary to question anyone from the Middle East as to what their business is in the Western world. Sad, but true.

Answer 3

1) No. we must end affirmative action (discrimination) and stop punishing Caucasoids for the sins of their fathers.

2) Yes. although it's not a race which is the problem. The fact is that nearly all terrorists (so far) are young Arab men. Therefore if we wish to have effective screening at airports, etc, we should pay special attention to that profile.

When blue-haired ladies in walkers begin blowing up planes, it will be time to scrutinize them.

Generally; race should be irrelevant, especially when government is involved. Specially; since a certain group tends to present a higher risk to the (flying) public, it is a valid exercise of the police powers to give that group more attention.

Answer 4

Race has to be used at times.

But I agree it has nothing to do with being smart or being able to do a job. That takes a background check and testing. To find out if someone a dud or a self starter normally takes a back ground and race has nothing to do with it.

Then if you are running a Mexican resterant why would you want to hire a red headed guy with light skin to be a server? Same for a Chinese place. I don't think it is a Chinese place if it has no Chinese people. I want to see Mexican people in my Mexican places and Asians in my Asian places. American is any race so an American eating place would not matter but you really would not think you would see all Asians or all Mexicans. You would want to see a few Blacks and Whites.

What if the 3 guys that robed a bank was white why would the cops want to stop black people? Or if it was Muslums that blew up the white house why would you be checking white or black?

1. Race should not matter(most whites will lose out to blacks or any other minorty).
2. Everyone in airports should be scaned to a point but yes groups which are known for blowing people up need a little heaver screening. If you was a Arab and some white guy was trying to get in the country you would wonder what his plans was. Extra screening is needed in that case. Same in reverse.

Yes should be a factor to what ever extent is needed. If it saves lifes why are you complaning about being helt up for a few minutes. If every one boarding a plane was screened for one full hour the trip would be safer and no deaths. Is it not worth your time?

Are you really in that big of a hurry?
Is your life not worth it?
Why do you have to go to that one school? Don't most all schools teach the same thing?

I don't see the big deal. I think you and poeple like you are blindly going through life and it is a wonder you have not stumbled in to the end of your life yet.

Come on, do you really want to go in that biker bar? I mean if you are not big ugly and white and ride up on a large bike is it really worth it so you can say "I'm a black man I should be able to go anywhere I like" I'm white and I am not dumb enough to go in a place like that.

Wize up and get real.

Answer 5

(1) If a particular race has been marginalized by decades of unequal access that gives other races a dramatic advantage in terms of opportunity, this needs to be remedied in some way. If the statistics show that affirmative action programs significantly provide this remedy, then this needs to be balanced with any losses in society based upon the perceptions of the program and its participants. Statistics are needed for both.
(2) It may be common-sense to make sure that focus on middle eastern peoples during airport screening is appropriate but the danger is that this approach may result in insufficient/lax attention given to those who don't fit the profile and, therefore, a strong security risk will exist (as opposed to strongly applying the same level to everyone).

Answer 6

Yep. try asking a question in the 'Cuba' area that doesn't paint the Castros out because the devil incarnates, and be conscious how lengthy it lasts without being suggested or deleted. That entire mentality of being closed minded to something it really is opposite to "liberating" Cuba from evil communism; is way too immediately ahead between Cuban exiles. Oh and evidently, the rather extreme percentage of undesirable pregnancies among Latino childrens. once you're going to **** like bunnies, placed on threat-free practices for goodness sakes.

Answer 7

Under no circumstances should race be the deciding factor. Selection should be on merit alone be it sport or business.

We have the problem in South Africa with BE (Black Empowerment) where blacks are given preference over whites. and companies that are not BE (% shareholding owned by Blacks) cannot tender for municipal or goverment work, you have to work through a BE company who mark up just for being a front.
You get the work but it costs the tax payer more

Answer 8

In a perfect world, no, but in today's society, it should. And I say this only because of the stereotypes created by ethnicities. I am not racist or prejudice at all, but it's just the way it all works....if that made ANY sense at all

Answer 9

Yes, but only in part. We must give the best opportunities to those who have not proven themselves worthy. High achievers (regardless of race) must be left on their own to succeed, No breaks for them.

Yes, we all know that Arabs/Muslims are all terrorists and need to be inconvenienced whenever possible.

Yes. Each case needs to be examined according to the backdrop of the bigotry of the day.

If you believe a word I just wrote, you are the bigot!

Answer 10

In a perfect world, no.
This ain't a perfect world.
Until we wipe out the terrorists who want our collective guts for garters, I'm keeping both eyes open.