Do you think affirmative action is more important in policing than other areas of life?

Answer 1

No. Because all affirmative action does is create the suspicion that a minority got a job because of skin color - not because they were qualified.

Answer 2

An interesting question!

The Sean Bell case in the NY area has sparked racial tensions. The cops were of several ethnic groups, but the victims were black.

I think a black person would likely gfall under more suspicion no matter what color the policeman was. This is not a knock against the police, but just an observation of societal perceptions.

Maybe the best thing is to make sure police are from the neighborhood (or close by) and know it well.

I don't like hiring by race but I kinda understand the question. People shouldn't use racism as an excuse, and the police have to do their job regardless of accusations, some of which are spurious. But it must cause discomfort to have police of a different color always looking on you with suspicion. I wish it were not the case. I don't have the answers. But I can't just wish the issues away.

Answer 3

I think "affirmative action" plans have mutated into nothing short of government-sponsored racism.

Once upon a time, "affirmative action" plans were genuinely needed, because those in positions of authority tried to deny a class of American citizens things they were entitled to simply because of the color of their skin. "Affirmative action" came along and changed all that; took a while for it to be done, but it happened.

Fast-forward 40 years to the present: the need for the "affirmative action" programs of the 1960's and '70s has mostly died away due to the natural progression of American society. More minorities are now in positions of authority and power nationwide than ever before in the nation's history, and the national psyche seems to be that the people have finally recognized the fact that one's capabilities to do a job are not affected by the color of their skin.

Unfortunately, the "affirmative action" programs set in place 40+ years ago are now being used to give away jobs to less-qualified people simply BECAUSE of the color of their skin. None of the states want to buck the system and complain about this, because there are "social" groups and organizations in the United States that will immediately jump up and scream "Racism!" should such a complaint be made. One of the side-effects of the "affirmative action" programs is that now the American society seems to think that racism only exists if a black person is denied something by a white person; they don't realize that racism goes both ways.

If I sound a tad intense about this, it's because I am. I am a victim of "affirmative action" hiring at work, and I will remain bitter about it for the rest of my life. When I was getting ready to retire from the Air Force, I was in the hiring process for a state police organization for a state that I will not name. A quick glance at my profile will reveal my qualifications. Seven months into the process I received notification from the agency that I was not being selected because my "qualifications do not meet the current hiring criteria" for the state police. I knew someone in the selection process personally, and when I called him to ask why I had not been selected, he gave me two reasons: the official reason, and then the truth.

The "official" reason was that my qualifications did not meet the current hiring criteria for the state police.

The "real" reason was that the state police had already hired all of the white candidates that it could, and that they now needed to meet the federal government-mandated QUOTA for hiring minorities.

So I lost my position with the state police simply because I was white. In MY book, when you deny someone something simply because of the color of their skin, it's called RACISM.

And to add insult to injury, four months later after I had retired from the Air Force and moved seven states away, I got a letter from the State Police Academy informing me that they had a slot in the September class and would I care to attend?

My personal experience has taught me that "affirmative action" is a concept that has outlived its usefullness and is now being used in reverse. It's nothing more than government-sponsored racism at its best.

Answer 4

Ms. T, I am so sorry that you asked this question here, do you see the type of answers that you received?

white people are so narrow -minded, they do not understand that had we been treated equally in the first place there would have been no need for Affirmative Action. Affirmative Action was meant to undue all the years of discrimination in hiring.

Most People of color do not want anything given to us, we do not want a job for which we do not have the qualifications to have, but what we do want is an equal opportunity. We weren't given that, and whites do not want to take ownership of the fact that this country inflicted years and years of hiring discrimination, and continues to do so.

Many times, a less qualified white will receive the job before a person of color, simply because they are white.

So it is not reverse racism, it is only giving a QUALIFIED person a fair chance to compete in the workfield.

whites seem to think that there are no competent people of color, they do not understand, and at this point in my life, I refuse to entertain their ignorance.

Answer 5

The only thing affirmative action affirms at this point in America's history is racism is alive and well. Only it ain't the white man playing the race card this time.

Answer 6

I think Affirmative Action is a crock. In an apparent effort to level the playing field, the policy instead discriminates against caucasians, particularly men.

Answer 7

Of course not. These days affirmative action is just retro-racism. And many places and universities are looking into dropping them.

Answer 8

I think affirmative action should be abolished. It forces an employer to hire someone that is possibly less qualified just so they can have a "racially balanced work place".

Answer 9

NO- I think affirmative action is simply another form of discrimination, which is ironic seeing as it was supposedly introduced to counter this.

MERIT should be the only basis for employment.

(climbing off soapbox now)

Answer 10

affirmative action is unimportant in all areas. When you need a cop or doctor or maybe just someone to repair your car would you want some one who got the position because they were black/Hispanic/female/gay/whatever, or because they were qualified to do the work?