If the government can't force you to marry a certain person, why should they force you to hire certain people?

Question

Noted black economist Walter Williams argues that discrimination should be allowed; that freedom of association necessarily involves being discriminating in one's selection.

He points out that people practice careful discrimination in choosing friends and spouses...and that marriage has much more of an impact, economically, on racial groups(because people generally pick mates of their own race based on the same affinity that the government has outlawed in hiring) than any hiring or contracting process.

If you choose to marry person A instead of person B, person B may experience loss while person A enjoys advantages.

The point being, that if the government continues its trend/efforts to eliminate "discrimination"--that is, free choice--in all aspects of society with EEOC lawyers and affirmative action and so on, then soon it will be forcing people to marry someone outside their race in order to promote "equal opportunity" and quotas, etc.

Additional Details

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Williams is careful to point out that it is in fact marriage which impacts the economic status of blacks far more than any employment situation, as it is matrimony which ensures that whites sustain wealth within their cultural milieu.

Williams does not see this as wrong--he is a conservative, and recognizes that the government's role should not be to interfere in freedom of association, nor to attempt to force/guarantee equality of outcomes for those who posess and/or lack certain characteristics.

Answer 1

Marriage and the hiring of people are totally different, it's like sayings "you like apples so why don't you like oranges?" Marriage is a MUCH bigger commitment than a job. All the government is trying to do with Affirmative Action is to assimilate blacks and other minorities into the work force.

Lets flip it around, if you had trouble finding a decent job because of the color of your skin, wouldn't you want the government to step in and make it easier for you to get hired?

Affirmative Action does not mean, however, that you will not get hired, and some minority will that is incompetent and can't do the job as good as you. All it is is giving preference to a minority when both candidates are equally qualified.

Answer 2

The government does not force companies to hire certain people. What the government does is set parameters within the law that companies must abide by AND those parameters apply only to companies greater than certain size, for instance a company with 49 employees can be all one race and gender if they grow past 50 employees though they must abide by Federal rules.

So the government makes it clear that they intend to regulate commerce and commercial interests, not personal associations.

Answer 3

Because you are NOT marrying (an exclusive relationship) an employee but rather buying the service of another. Since employment is one major way of sustenance for most people, the government has some limited legitimate interest to see that the market is fair, much as the regulation of the stock market such that there is no market fraud or illegal manipulation by insiders.

Answer 4

Equal Opportunity is everything but EQUAL! It is pure discrimination and racism to be forced to hire someone based on skin color. What happens is that business, consumers and the "working class" suffer. It is a real trajedy to be forced to hire someone because of race even if that person doesn't qualify for the job or even want to work. I feel the U.S. will correct itself in time. True EO should be based on qualifications and on work history....NOT RACE.

Answer 5

Williams is either an idiot or liar.

There is a world of difference between the private (marriage) and public (Business).

A business that operates in the public sphere cannot discriminate against any member of that society. Businesses get tremendous benefits from society, and they have to return something.

What you do in your private life is your business, and there is no discrimination in the private sector.

Answer 6

The government should not be allowed to force anyone to hire certain people. A person should be hired solely upon their merits/qualifications. All other factors should be eliminated, but sadly that is not how it is.

Answer 7

Do you really think the slope is that slippery so as to lead in logical progression to arranged marriage?

Answer 8

Exactly, this is an example of federal government being too intrusive.

Answer 9

i like walt williams. this is an EXCELLENT point of consideration and thought!!!