A black man sits on the supreme court today and berates affirmative action. He, among others, thinks it's time to end affirmative action. But, here are some questions to consider;
Is the ratio the same among blacks and whites as to upper income, middle income, and lower income?
Is the ratio among blacks in our prison population the same as in the general population?
Is the ratio among black students going on the college the same as white students?
In other words, are black people enjoying the same success in America as white people?
Even if the bias against blacks may be gone for the most part among white people, black people still have trouble climbing the ladder of success in America. The fact that blacks, as a minority in this country, make up a majority in our prisons gives credence to the notion that blacks are still struggling to succeed in America.
If affirmative actions make it a little easier for blacks to grasp opportunity, then it is still needed.
Any thoughts?
2007-10-02 08:29:10 · 12 answers · asked by Perplexed Bob 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
Affirmative action is terrible. It says minorities can not compete on a level playing field.
Jesse jackson had a good following for president.
2007-10-02 08:33:30 · answer #1 · answered by infobrokernate 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Based on your own stated caveats I would have to say that Affirmative Action has failed to meet its goals in our society. I do believe there are a myriad of reasons why the minority communities have not taken their rightful place in our society. Among these are the fact that we have created a welfare mentality in this country. We have sought to remove responsibility for actions. We have repeatedly reinforced the idea that people cannot rise above their circumstances without government assistance.
These factors combined with others have created a dependent class which relies largely on entitlements for their subsistence. We have taught these people that the way to gain more is too have more children and as such have encouraged unwed and underage birth rates, thereby almost totally destroying the family structure in these communities. In the case of criminal activity, we have told them it is not really their fault as they are just victims their impoverished circumstances.
Programs like Affirmative Action, Job Training and Tutition Assistance do work when people avail themselves of the opportunities. Many do, but many more do not. Our model should have been to offer various forms of assistance always with the expectation that people become self reliant in an acceptable amount of time as a result. People will rise to the level of expectation which is set in life. Unfortunately, the expectation we have set in this area is one which keeps people shackled and offers little hope of escape without a fundamental change in thinking.
The generations now locked in the system are almost surely doomed, but there is always hope for future generations. We must stop telling people they cannot succeed. Life is hard for all of us, but America is still the land of opportunity. We must turn our attention away from the failed policies of the past and look forward to a brighter future. We must help those in need, but promote the understanding that it is temporary and that they must learn to help themselves.
How can we do this? I don't have all the answers, but here are some good places to start.
1) Stop telling people they are helpless victims. Promote the idea that people can succeed if they make the effort.
2) Promote the benefits of education
3) Limit the time someone can receive assistance, except in extreme cases where the person is actually physically unable to provide for themselves due to disability.
4) Leverage saving from reducing welfare roles to provide temporary child care assistance. It will still cost the taxpayers, but provides something of positive benefit for the money.
5) Remove Affirmative Action and replace it with more job training programs.
Much of what I have written here is over-simplified because of space, but the ideas are sound. It is not easy, but it is also not impossible and the potential rewards are definitely worth the effort.
2007-10-02 09:26:11 · answer #2 · answered by Bryan 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I know people will disagree with me, but I HATE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION.
It is racism in the worst way.
Promotions/school applications the whole works, should be decided on who is most qualified. PERIOD.
Affirmative actions is a policy that says black Americans can't contend with white Americans on an equal playing field. There are plenty of qualified and intelligent black Americans out there that prove that they are just as smart as the rest of us. Why should I loose a seat in a class room, or get passed over for a job because a quota of a certain skin color hasn't been reached?
BTW, I'm a Democrat.
2007-10-02 08:45:26 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
No I don't and I believe that affirmative action was very useful in it's time. I'm not certain that it still would be.
I would be more inclined to believe that the black sector is struggling because of the lack of family unity more so than anything else. The majority of these children are being reared without fathers or father figures. How will affirmative action change that?
2007-10-02 08:34:38 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
I disagree. Affirmative action just places under qualified minorities in better positions, at the expense of those who are more qualified. It does this to give this perception that minorities are doing better, but are they? If you curved grades of minorities higher in tests to make things "even", are they really even? Or just adjusted so that they look even?
Clarence Thomas is right, did affirmative action put him where he is? I know plenty of successful hard working black people, affirmative action played no role in their achievements. The policy is racist; it's existence states an acknowledgement that blacks are inferior and need to be given extra help to advance. I firmly do not believe that is an accurate statement.
2007-10-02 08:35:05 · answer #5 · answered by Pfo 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The vestiges of slavery hang heavy over the heads of all Americans, weather or not they car to admit it. We do NOT live in a color-blind society of equal opportunity for all.
Unfortunately, blacks have been disenfranchised for so long, even some blacks don't recognize it any more. But, all one has to do is look at the statistics on just about any measurable aspect of US life - education, income, housing - and you will find that blacks lag behind.
It will take at least another hundred years of concerted effort to undo the damage of slavery and Jim Crow.
2007-10-02 08:38:24 · answer #6 · answered by spay&neuter-all-republicans 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
The problem is that the bias against Blacks (and Mexicans) is not gone. In fact, in the case of Mexicans it is growing.
Acting on that bias has become more difficult thanks to the civil rights movement. It has forced the outward expression of racism underground. The sentiment still exists. This is what I believe is fueling the recent anti-immigrant hysteria. By declaring Mexicans "illegal", the bigots can spout their hatred disguised as promoting law and order.
P.S.
I believe Clarence Thomas is a sexist pig.
2007-10-02 08:38:04 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Affirmative action is reverse discrimination. The best person should the get the position regardless of color or gender. Level playing field period.
If you've ever lived in a predominately black neighborhood, as I have, you know that the children there have no fathers. Take the fathers out of the family and you can see the result by your statistics.
Why don't the Dems provide more for people of color in the political arena? Why do Republicans seem to be leading the way in that area?
2007-10-02 08:34:09 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
I disagree with your opinions. Affirmative action has nothing to do with Barak Obama's decision to run.
Clarence Thomas is right.
Affirmative action is a phrased used to sugar coat reverse discrimination.
Black people have opportunities. There is no excuse for breaking laws, not matter how poor you may be.
2007-10-02 08:35:04 · answer #9 · answered by regerugged 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Justice Thomas has an opinion that you don't like but perhaps you should listen a little more to it. If affirmative action is all it's cracked up to be then why the prison rates? why the college graduation inequities? Maybe Justice Thomas is on to something!.
2007-10-02 08:34:18 · answer #10 · answered by KRR 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋