What groups of people in the US deserve preferential treatment?

Question

I claim there are currently only two such groups:

- poor people, and
- the mentally ill.

These are the only groups of people that are discriminated against at a high level on a regular basis.

Other groups of people often mentioned as deserving preferential treatment, such as Blacks, mostly fall into the "poor people" category, and the ones that don't do not suffer discrimination either often enough or at a high enough level to warrant preferential treatment.

Agree? Disagree?

Comments:

- on physically challenged people: my current impression is that they have been legally compensated by the appropriate amount, and thus no further preferential treatment is necessary. Then again, I'm not either a historian nor a political scientist, and this is the only group mentioned that I have no first-hand knowledge of.

- if you think giving preferential treatment to those people who deserve it is anti-American, you do not know what it truly means to be American, in a factual sense.

- I don't agree with putting children in this group, as poor children are already covered, and middle-class or wealthy children certainly need no preferential treatment. The identical argument works for the elderly.

Answer 1

Those physically handicapped.

Answer 2

That question is very debatable though, because the majority of people down here in New Orleans are poor (way below the poverty level), however there are help wanted signs everywhee, yet those poor people do not take the jobs (even though McDonalds is starting people at 10 to 15 dollars an hour right now). Instead they are asking the government to give them money.

I live down here, work full time, attend a university full time and rebuilt my house on my own (I take that back, FEMA gave me 1,000 dollars-- not a dime more, even though my place cost six thousand dollars to fix- I only lost my downstairs due to the flooding when the Federally owned levees broke). I work hard, and study hard, and yet I am poor.

So the poor may not qualify for preferential treatment-- it depends on why they are poor-- if they are poor becamse they do not want to work, they do not deserve preferential treatment, however if they are poor because no matter how hard they try, they can not make ends meet, then they do deserve preferential treatement.

The mentally ill (and physically and psychologically disabled) deserve preferential treatement, they deserve help to ensure they can achieve all that they are able to achieve in their lives. My psychology professor once said "fair does not always mean equal" meaning some people may need extra accomodations to make it "fair" for them to survive/thrive.

Answer 3

I think that the equality we are supposed to have in the US means that noone deserves preferential treatment.
That doesn't mean that the mentally ill or handicapped cannot get what they need in terms of care, but that isn't preferential, just necessary. I don't think poor people need anything but a hand in getting on their feet...and the means to do it.
I think that both groups you speak of are victims of constant discrimination...I agree with you there. But, the world is an imperfect place.

Answer 4

To give preferential treatment to someone is to discriminate against others.

Sure there are people who need a helping hand, not a handout, and there should be some effort to help, but not by robbing others to pay for it. I give to charities and people every year, most others I know do as well, why does the government have to take from some to give to others, it is wrong.

Answer 5

Legally, groups of people deserving 'preferential treatment' are called "protected classes.".
Irrespective of that, you hit it right on the head, the problem in this country actually isn't "race", its class. Poor people, whatever their color need a leg up, and mentally ill people need to have mental illness decriminalized. I would also add people physically challanged to the groups deserving a little extra.

Answer 6

Everyone gets discriminated against everyday. I do think poorer people should be treated better but there needs to be somone or somthing in place that will make the lazy ones get up and get jobs. Its people like that, that cause other families who really need the help who work everday and try to make ends meat to not get the help that they truly deserve. My family is in this situation and my brother has extreme social anxiety disorder so I know first hand how it can be. That is why it angers me so much to see illegals and lazy people taking the help from the people that truly deserve it.

Answer 7

Disagree.

Those with physical handicaps or mental impairment are the only ones who warrant special treatment.

The Poor should be provided help to change their situation.

Mental illness is too broad a term to be considered.

Answer 8

I disagree. A serial killer could say he or she is mentally ill. I think Handicapped children should be the ones to get preferential treatment. As far as the black thing goes, get a job!

Answer 9

I believe you would have to classify people in more detail in order for the program to be equitable.

Poor people would have to be classified broadly as "Poor who want to be poor" and the "Poor who cannot help themselves."

Those who want to be poor can sit around and slowly starve to death.

We should provide all necessary services for the Poor who cannot help themselves.

We should apply the same broad terms to all other people who have problems sustaining themselves.

In our society, everyone has an equal opportunity to earn money and to provide care for themselves and their families. The recent flood of Mexicans across our borders shows that you can find work if you are willing to do the work.The color of a person's skin or the language spoken is not what is being paid for; the worker is being paid for working.

Answer 10

you're actually not severe are you? Your "ninety 9.9% of blacks" statistic sounds unrealistic. There are African immigrants who come to the U.S. primary so factor a million is unproven. Plus information are lies, no you could accurately count huge sort a definite inhabitants, purely generalize with a splash bit counsel. i think of you basically pulled yours out of your a**. Your 2 factor Whites are referred to as whites, Asians are referred to as asians what the hell?! you basically reported those with a coloration than a human beings descended from a continent. it variety of feels notably straightforward. in spite of everything Asians are actually not longer stated Oriental, it became into replaced to Asian American because of the fact Oriental is offensive (appears like one in each of those rug...). Do you apart from mght question using the words hispanic and latino/latina? Is it preferential scientific care that they get 2 names? What approximately community individuals? maximum of them rather be referred to as by making use of their tribal names rather than Indian or community American... considering which you're white, why might you care. it is not your concern you're basically making it one.

Answer 11

No groups of people deserves preferential treatment, but some groups do need help that others might not.