That's right! I am going there! Brave? Maybe... or just stupid... but I am so sick and tired of this. Don't even get me started on political correctness... we'll save that for another blog.
So we should all be familiar with affirmative action. I will not bore you with a description of it. A really good article on it can be found here.
Affirmative Action has been around for 48 years now, thanks to President Kennedy. Apparently, it was supposed to be a temporary act to "level the playing field". Unfortunately, all it did was tip the scales. While it may have served its purpose in the infant stages of the act, today it is as damaging as it is irrelevant.
This article was inspired by my recent conversation with a proud black American man, who insisted on being referred to as a Black American, rather than an African American. He had a lot to say and he gave me an earful. I will not quote him here, because I did not get his name, and I would rather not be accused of making up the entire conversation.
So let's get right to the damaging effects of Affirmative Action. It has been twisted into an ugly shape today, and now companies are required to hire a certain percentage of ethnicities, rather than simply hiring the most qualified man or woman for a given position.
Let me ask you a question: If your house was on fire and your family was trapped inside, which firefighter would you want to attempt to rescue you: the firefighter who was hired because he or she was the very best available, or the one who was hired to fill a quota?
This act is damaging because it does not provide an incentive for the bettering of one's self. If I have to study 4 hours every night for years in order to get the grades required for admittance to Yale, am I really going to go to all that trouble when I can just get in on a quota? Do I really need to study extra hard on the Police exam when I see a buddy of mine getting onto the force because of his race?
So why do we need artificial equality? We are all born equal, and after that we should be on our own to forge our own destiny. There should be no attempt to artificially equalize men throughout life. Where is the incentive to work hard and be successful?
Our country was founded on the idea that all men are created equal. Yes, we had a bumpy history to start, but over 150 years ago we did do the right thing to promote equality. Today, our great country is head and shoulders above anyone else in providing equal opportunities for all. Do we still have a few problems? Sure! But as long as one person looks, acts, talks, dresses, or walks a little different than everyone else, there will always be squabbles. The important thing to focus on is that we are more than ready to move on.
So why does all of this race-baiting continue? Because it is convenient for Politicians to split people up into groups and tell them that they are victims. Once they are convinced that they are victims, they will vote for whoever promises to give them the most stuff.
You are 100% correct my friend! I'm a Black American and feel there's no longer a need for the quota system. I see it this way, we have a Black president! If a Black person can get elected to the highest office in the land and become the leader of the free world no one else should have an "excuse"! But oh no, Democrats want Black people and other minorities to feel like they're still victims and that ONLY the government can solve the problem! This is America and you can do whatever you put your mind to!
ReplyDeleteAmericans have been brainwashed to accept affirmative action, to the point that they elected a President more because of his skin color than his accomplishments. I mean, what big accomplishmments did Obama have that compelled people to vote for him? Following the election, all the media talked about was how proud Americans should be for electing a "black" President. In a sense Obama is a poster child for affirmative action.
ReplyDeleteThe big lie about affirmative action is that it levels the playing field for minorities. What it actually does is exacerbates resentment or hatred among the majority who are not afforded the same spectial privileges afforded to minorities. Minorities who are rewarded with employment because of affirmative action and not because of superior qualifications face barriers to advancement, and are generally regarded as tokens. Minorities are further conditioned to feel disadvantaged, and they believe they deserve special entitlement because of past injustices.
If political leaders really wanted to level the playing field they would discourage affirmative action. Minorities could help themselves by learning to interact in a constructive way with the majority and my working as hard as they can to get educated, improve their skills, and earn the respect and position that they seek.