Why do some people think that the reason why a minority gets a job over a white person is because of...?

Question

AFFIRMITIVE ACTION? I'm black, and I never benefited from affirmitive aciton. Do some white people really think they are so much smarter than everyone else? Did they ever think that some minorities are actually MORE qualified for the jobs? Do some white people feel threatened? What is it? What are they afraid of?

mixemup- so what exactly are you saying? A minority can never be the most qualified for the job? If so, you just proved my point, loser.

schweetums- I don't sound as bitter as some of the white people writing stuff on here. I think I asked a good question, and you failed to answer it. couldn't think of one? Figures.

Answer 1

MAN... are you doing a research paper or what??? Get a life...

By the way... when I got a job once, they requested a copy of my CDIB card (a card that proves my Native American blood line). I asked why they needed this and they told me that the government gives them money for hiring Native Americans. I felt so used. In my opinion, and as a result of this personally happening to me, affirmative action is just an embarrassment.

Answer 2

Yes you have, you just don't realize it, The school you go, might not have accepted you 40 years ago.

I do know that affirmative action resulted in some cases of minority students being accepted into schools and they were not required to have the same grade point average as white students. This was especially so with medical school, which is highly competive. There were cases of white males with a 4.0 grade point average being turned down in favor of a minority male with a 3.0 grade point average. The entrance standards were lowered for the monority male because the school had to have so many minority students. If there wasn't enough B students, they went to C students.

Today, although not called affirmative action but secondary to to it, the standards have been lowered in law enforcement organizations and the military. Women have lower physical standards than men in both of these groups. If I was a soldier, I would prefer someone next to me that could carry me, my equipment, and theirs if needed to safety. Some of the women I saw in the Army, could barely carry their weapon, let alone another 200+ pounds.

My personal feeling is I want the MOST qualified person for the job. It does't matter to me what their race, gender, or religious preference. Color has nothing to do with intelligence. Affirmative action actually caused more problems than it solved. It created a lot of hard feelings between everyone. It also, in my opinion, put less qualified professionals out working. I also think that it may have created the idea that a minority need not work as hard for the high grades because they can get into school easier with a lower grade point average. Once into school, I believe, they had to maintain the same grade point as everyone else in order to continue.

I don't think the whites are afraid so much as many are angry that they can work hard, get the grades, or really excel and then get passed over in favor of a minority that is less qualified. They then have trouble separting their anger over that from losing a job to a minority that is more qualfied.

Answer 3

Simply because it has happened, and often enough to result in a backlash against the affirmative action laws. There was certainly a time when these laws were needed, and that time may not be over even yet, but the idea was carried to abusive extremes. Whether you choose to acknowledge it or not, you have benefitted from affirmative action. Employers and institutions today are much more likely to look only at qualifications than they were 40 years ago. There are people of all races, creeds, and ethnicities who think they are better than everyone else. What would you think of whites who demanded affirmative action programs in professional sports? Pretty ludicrous idea, isn't it?

Answer 4

Girl, I know exactly how you feel.

I'm not in any of these peoples' minds, so I can't speak for anyone but myself.

What I DO think is that the people that do speak out against Affirmative Action are either insecure and/or bitter about someone taking THEIR job.

White people (and people of color) who speak out against Affirmative Action most likely didn't live before the 1960's (when Affirmative Action in the U.S. was first placed). These people don't realize that it was practically impossible for a person of color (ESPECIALLY if they were of African descent) to gain meaningful employment and/or a good education. Why do you think there are so many HBCs (Historically Black Colleges)? Because Black Americans got sick and tired of the discrimination that caused many African Americans to be denied from reputable universities and they started universities all on their own!

Nowadays, the law still helps. Although it is illegal for a company, or employer, to not grant employment to someone based on the color of their skin, gender, sexuality, religion, etc., companies still do it. Some employers still feel that Black people will steal from them, that Latinos will be too lazy to work, and that an Asian is so sneaky that they will take an idea from that company and send it over to the Chinese government.

However, if a person of color replaces a White person on a job position, it's most likely because they're more experienced and more qualified because Affirmative Action has most likely helped that person gain great employment and a great education!

People, minorities and Whites alike, don't realize how bad it was in America. The Affirmative Action laws were passed for a reason. So that people could live!!!

Answer 5

I am always amazed at the wide ranges of responses that I see whenever the issue of affirmative action. Here is my answer...

Many people do not look at the actual numbers or the details of the programs that are included in the AA programs used by companies and schools.

The prime beneficiaries of AA programs have generally been white women. They were given preferential treatment even when the enrollment of women outnumbered those of men at colleges. However, it was the "racial" preferences that made people go up in arms. College admissions that gave preferential admissions to those whose families attended college or contributed to the school was not seen as unfair because they were not apparently taking slots from other "qualified" white students.

In the corporate arena, there are many decisions that go into hiring practices. "Qualified" means many things to many people and corporations due nothing that will not result in a profit which is why the government made it a requirement that companies could not discriminate based on various factors.

I don't fault white people for feeling that jobs are going to "unqualified" people, it is often difficult to watch an opportunity go to someone that you feel does not offer what you do however that is something that happens every day. It is the height of naiveté to believe that John D in the cubicle next to you didn't get the job because he was the son in law to the VP of sales... he probably didn't even interview...

I have never needed affirmative action because I have tested above 95% of most white people on every standardized test I've ever taken from city wide & regents exams to my GRE's. I have more education than 89% of white Americans and paid my own way through every degree.

However, that being said I look at the reality of corporate America. For instance, what is the percentage of minorities & women who head large corporations? Where are these students who are "missing out" on admissions going? To other colleges and universities... So who is being punished by AA programs? Who is now homeless because they didn't get a job due it being given to an under qualified minority? Small businesses (who employ the vast majority of workers in the country) are generally exempt from AA programs, while they cannot discriminate neither are they required to have preferential treatment for particular applicants. While most governmental programs have set aside programs for contractors that are women or minorities, the VAST majority of contracts are given to individuals that had PERSONAL relationships with those distributing the monies.

So corporations continue to pay workers minimal salaries with miniscule benefits while we fight over the privilege to struggle along to make a life with our families. If you feel that strongly about AA programs, start your own business and lead the vanguard in showing how the programs are no longer needed by your consistent & fair hiring practices.

Good luck

Answer 6

Actually statistic say that about 36% of minorities are discriminated against in the work place and only 5% of Caucasian have suffered from what some call reverse racism. I don't agree with affirmative action but it is needed in our society. All though things have gotten better more steps need to be taken to create more equality within the school systems.
Peace & Love

Answer 7

Then let that person gain his employment based on their merits. I have been 'not considered' because I didn't fit the prejudiced criteria for government requirements. Affirmative action prevents the most capable person from being considered for a position. The government is the most prejudiced employer in the nation. The jobs they provide offer the most (quantity) and greatest (best compensating) jobs on average, but I have to overcome a bigger hurdle than you. That is racist. That is unfair. What's more, if I need to be educated for that position, I have a greater hurdle than you to qualify for that job. That's affirmative action.

Answer 8

I sat in on one meeting, where I listened to the head partner of the law firm say we were welcoming a female black law clerk to kill 2 quotas at once. This clerk came from Miami of Ohio, top 10%.

I sat in on a meeting where the principal was scared to fire a female black teacher because she was afraid of being accused a racist -- this teacher was no call no show for 26 days.

I don't like affirmative action, no one could regulate it, and I wouldn't want to be hired because of my race. I know there are a lot of white or male people who think they lose jobs over it, I just don't have any of those examples. I don't feel threatened, but I'm also not convinced black people are out to get me AS MANY WHITE PEOPLE ARE.

Answer 9

I never have questioned it, but I did have a co-worker, who I was friends with for several years at a company. He was not meeting his numbers ( this was sales) and he was terminated. He was not the first or the last to be fired in the time I was there, but he was the one who yelled racism, and even accused me, his friend, of being a racist because he was only fired because he was black.. I think people should be hired or fired on their individual merits

Answer 10

honestly I don't know any whites that complain about affirmative action. do you think that any white people that get a job get it because of their skin color? I hear that complaint far more often. Sorry, not trying to play devil's advocate here, I just think that most people approve of affirmative action. It's not set up so that 'inferior' people can get jobs, it's set up because there's an obvious discrepancy in educational opportunities for some people. Then again, I live in a really diverse area, so maybe somewhere else in the country white people are more likely to dislike it.