Why do people forget that Affirmative Action not only helps minorities, but women and the disabled as well?

Question

It seems every time I read a question about AA a majority of the respondents go straight to the race issue.

Affirmative Action is not implemented exactly the same way everywhere. So people fail to realize that AA DOES NOT guarantee a less qualified person will get the job. Some organizations have EQUALLY qualified individuals, but give the women, minority, or disabled preference in the hiring process. So these people are equally qualified, and AA just redresses the fact that these groups have been and STILL ARE systematically discriminated against.

(And it's absurd to say White Men are at a disadvantage in this country. All you have to do is look at starting salary and employment rates among the different demographics to see this is not the case.)

Answer 1

Because the hate mongering pea-brains can't see any further than the pea-pods.

Answer 2

It's been shown that AA helped women MUCH more than it helped blacks or other minorities. People who are against it are against it in principle. Usually, if you go past their initial explanation and question them, you see that their REAL objection is that it was an action of the Democratic Party and they oppose it reflexively because they are Republicans. Simple as that. Just as Republicans today oppose Obama's health care plan not because of anything to do with health care policy, they just don't want Obama to get credit, to achieve a victory. I am of an age that AA actually kept me out of a job. I went to school to get a certain job, but when I got out of school (in 1973) there were 'strict numerical quotas' for that job and I couldn't get hired unless I was black or female or had a Hispanic surname. Some guys I know actually changed their name to Ramirez. You didn't actually have to be Hispanic! What would happen is that large operations would just hire the first black or woman that came through the door, regardless of qualifications. When they couldn't cut the mustard, they'd fire them and hire the next woman or black. It wasn't really good for -anyone-. But it did get more blacks and women into this particular industry, which had been dominated up to then by white males. I was very angry at the time, but now all industries are more integrated. Women still get paid less, and blacks still don't have equal educational opportunities. But we've made just incredible progress in 30-40 years, which we wouldn't have done without AA.

Answer 3

Isn't the argument usually that while AA sounds idyllic, and helps those systemically discriminated against, in practice it usually boils down to a quota system?

Granted, I am a white guy... and in my industry(I've been in the computer technology field for about 15 years as a developer and dba) I have never been in a spot where there were a pool of people to choose from and choices were obviously made on race, so my experience is light.
I can say that I think we as a society are moving away from these older fashioned notions such as prejudice. My boss is a woman... and is highly respected in her field. I work with and for a number of minorities... all hard working, practical, decent, intelligent people...
My point in all this is... to EVERYONE- study hard, work hard, be a good person, and you will make your own luck happen. Be prepared for whatever opportunity comes your way. Don't waste any energy on negativity or convincing yourself somehow life isn't being fair- as there are no handouts or free rides.

Answer 4

Choosing between two applicants that are equally qualified has nothing to do with AA.
AA is about giving people special treatment simply because of race, sex, etc. This does not help anyone because it tells those people that they never have to improve themselves or try harder because they will be handed everything. It also encourages discrimination and hatred towards them because the people who are not supported by AA feel ripped off.
The only way to really help is to come down hard on employers that do discriminate but this should be proven first. It is wrong for someone to accuse an employer of discrimination just because they are angry about not getting the job.
If we do believe that everyone is equal then lets treat everyone equally. Any disrimination is bad be it positive or negative.

Answer 5

I got news for you. I get discriminated against every day. People see that I have been disabled since 1980 & ask me what I have been doing for the last 25 years. I told them I was in rehab for back surgey & they just look at me like I had just come from MARS.When I apply under the HIRE the HANDICAP ACT they always find a excuse not to hire me. Just 5 months ago I attended a Job fair for TATGET. I spent 7 hours there. I had 4 interviews with differant people & when I left I was told they were going to put me in management becauseI have 3 collage credits in Supervisory Management. Two days before I was to go for Orientation I got a phone call saying they were not going to need me because of my medical health.So AA does not work for the old & disabled. I really believe if I was Black Or Hispanic , no one would dare to not give me a job. I dont scare them with the threat of law suits.

Answer 6

AA has over lived its real usefuness, and one of the reasons is that under AA i a white mail could be refused a job for that reason and there is no protection for me. it has also led to so many law suits that are filed unjustly that it is rediculous. companies are required to have a certain number of female, disabled and minority employees working for them. so if you drop below that number, and only one minority applies but has no qualification for the job you must pass up the qualified white guy for the black guy or the gay guy or the woman or what ever, even if they are not qualified. why status quo. thats why. it has been turned around into something it was never meant to be, but everyone is so afraid what could happen if we get rid of it that they wont. keeping something out of fear is just plain stupid.

Answer 7

Wrong. It does minorities a serious injustice and insults them. Employers are forced to hire people who are not qualified to hold a particular position. This reduces production and moral not only of the person hired but the rest of the workers as well. Not to mentioned being hired because the employer is afraid of a discrimination lawsuit. You wouldn't run your company this way and neither should anyone else. So tell me, how does this help ANYBODY let alone minorities??

Answer 8

I'm sorry, but you can't prove that by me. I'm a well qualified, well educated 57 year old woman who has been out of a real job for the last 4 years. If you can tell me where to go for a job, I'll gladly apply. But after 950 confirmed resume entries and no invites for interviews....?? Well, all I can say is...It isn't my resume that's a problem. I submitted it to professional resume writers and they couldn't improve it. So...where's my answer?

Every resume entry had the AA interview sheet and I had to tell them I'm white, female...non-Indian..latin American, Spanish. I NEVER RECEIVE CALLS. IT'S TRUE HYPE. What the heck ever happend to QUALIFIED people getting the job?

Answer 9

I don't care who it benefits, it's no better than the problem it purports to "solve". I thought the battle cry of the Women's Rights movement was "Equal Rights". When did you ladies decide your real goal should be EXTRA rights?

Groups aren't supposed to have rights under our system of government. Individuals have rights, and mine are being violated if a public employer selects you over me based on nothing more than genitalia.

Answer 10

The people who oppose affirmative action programs (not quotas, which is entirely different, though they try to equate the two) do so out of bigotry--not rational analysis. And tend to be people who are bigoted against other groups as well--but the main focus of their hate is on race--so it's to be expected their rhetoric is as well.

But I have to correct you on something--although the rhetoric says otherwise, affirmative action does not help people with disabilities, except for rare instances. The reason is that the legal protections against discrimination against the disabled population are virtually non-existant. I know about the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)--but it has so many loopholes it is literally more harm than help, except in two specific areas: higher education, which is much more open to the disabled, and physical access to public facilities.

But the thrust of AA programs is on employment as well--and in that regard people with disabilities have no recourse legally--so affirmative action programs, though often well-intenentioned--are mostly ineffective.

Answer 11

I have an Uncle that works at a sewage treatment plant. An unqualified African Merican managed to get the job because the employess are all white and now he sits around all day on his duff.
Taking advantage of the sysem like he did makes him just as racist as Mark Fuhrman.