Should We Be 'Color-blind,' and Therefore Oppose Affirmative Action?

Question

Or is this just defense of white privilege in disguise?
http://www.bc.edu/schools/law/lawreviews/meta-elements/journals/bctwj/24_2/07_TXT.htm

Don't forget to read the link!

Mrb: You are hysterical, I asked a simple question. Please cut and paste where I complained about anything. You felt the NEED to 'Blow Up the Spot' no pun intended, as you are as you say a muslim, and not a terrorist.

p.s. you do know that Islam is not a race and that there are millions of your Black Muslim brethern around the world?

AuntB: You have at least tried to be mature and offer up a cogent argument, so I WILL entertain what you have to say; though I strongly recommend when you have time, you read the entire link along with some of my previous post.

Answer 1

affirmative action isn't fair

Answer 2

Well, I read the abstract. I'm simply not sufficiently interested to read the entire article.

I do oppose affirmative action and I do consider myself not so much color-blind as color indifferent. That is, I do not pretend I don't notice what color a person's skin is, but it doesn't matter to me.

I oppose affirmative action in higher education because it implies that people should not be chosen on the basis of their individual skills and abilities. But I do support the idea of volunteer tutors, and of creative teaching that does not rely too heavily on a person's previous education.

When I was in college, I was in the Opportunity Program, which was for people who seemed promising even though they had an unconventional background. Mostly it was poor people, and the majority were black. But that's because we were near Detroit, which has a large, mostly poor, black population and lousy public schools.

There were always classes which were sort of make up for the people who had a lousy high school education, or who had to drop out of high school for some reason. They would take the first month or so to review what you should have gotten in high school, and then moved ahead fast enough that at the end of the semester, we had covered just as much as the "regular" classes. Some of us needed tutors to keep up the pace, and I remember one teacher (in logic) even ran a whole separate class for the opportunity students, to give them more personal attention.

Face it, if people actually want to reduce racial inequality, the best way to do it is to compensate for the economic inequality which is the major problem for minority races, but on an individual basis. Why should a middle-class black take up resources that might be needed for someone who is really poor. But don't just giving the poor students money, nor a "free ride" in any sense, but make available a modest amount of personal attention and special help to overcome the specific problems as they crop up. Scholarships and grants are useful, too.

But affirmative action in hiring? No; say rather that an employer should have a right to hire whomever he chooses, and suffer the consequences (like a boycott, for example) if he shows discrimination in his choices. Leave government out of it.

Answer 3

I'm black and very proud of it. I wouldn't want to be anything other than what I am. I think the idea of being color blind is messed up. I love the fact that I'm black and I want the world to see it! It's a huge part of who I am and the last thing I want is for no one to see me.

Side note for mrb: you can never experience what a black person does. partly because you are not black. but also because you have a homeland and more than likely someone in your family immigrated to the us. Not so for black people. Can you imagine being brought the way Africans were only to be treated like blacks are today?! And to make matters worse, beyond African American, there is no sense of identitiy. We're not treated like real Americans and aren't really African either. So, before you comment learn something.

Answer 4

I'm honestly so tired of hearing about racism towards African Americans...I understand that some people are racist, but why dwell on their stupidity...if you'd stop thinking that people are being racist towards you then you might find that it was just in your head most of the time and you only noticed it because you expected it. If people want to stop racism, just stop teaching hate and stop telling children that there is such a thing as race and we'll all live happily ever after. You complain because people see that you are black...I'm Muslim and people call me terrorist...I'm not sulking everyday about it because I know that's not me...so when people say derogatory things about you, get over it...

EDIT: YAWN!...

Answer 5

In my opinion, affirmitive action isn't fair. We would best be rid of it. However, it isn't fair because the world isn't fair. The civil rights laws passed in the 60's and 70's didn't magically erase hundreds of years of problems. I think we will be rid of it in the future, but for the time being we still need it.

Answer 6

I love how people who have not experienced what black folks have in this country tell us that we should just forget about it because there is no racism now lmao

Answer 7

IF U HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE U DON;T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION