The Affirmative Action Thread!

[Caesar_MG]

In one thing I totally agree with you.
It would be nice if we could just say "We're all Americans" without any prejudices and references to skin color and origin. But the fact that we have to talk about how many african-american employees Michael Moore has, shows that we're still far off.

Source: Here

I was just curious here: How many people here support Affirmative Action?

[Stephie_80]

You stole it from my post - ts ts ts....

Well, I'm not sure. On the one hand, as I said if there would be no racial or sexual prejudices, then we would of course not need it. No one would even waste a thought...everyone's equal.....

But...I don't think our world is free of prejudice. And that does not start with the looking for a job, but already with basic education and Affirmative Action might help equal these inbalances out.

I'm really kinda biased on that one. If everyone is equal we would not need Affirmative Action.

One American Studies professor I had (she was a hardcore feminist), was very proud that she was the first female professor at that university. And especially that she was hired before Affirmative Action was used. She said if she would have been hired after she would always wonder if she had been hired for her merits or because she's a woman.
That would bother me too...I mean everyone wants to be hired for merits, right?

PS: And now after you alreay used my opinion, I would be interested in what you think.

[hugo3]

I do not support the idea of Affirmative Action and because it is abused in so many ways (I would have several examples at hand to "b.i.t.c.h." about) it doesn't do any good either. How would one feel, if you have to ask yourself "did I get the job because I am the right person for the job or because I am a minority?!" - On the other hand, do people care, how they did get the position or even believe they deserve the better treatment to make up for *whatever*.
IMHO, the whole thing is a mess and nobody can/wants to talk about it!

[hugo3]

Maybe a somewhat related issue...
http://www.auswanderer-forum.com/for...ad.php?t=56181

[MaraC]

yeah well nobody wanted to say anything in my thread

[MaraC]

Some results of affirmative action are scary. Why in the world do we want to have unqualified or underqualified college students?
Why buy goods or services from a minority or women owned business, if that is not the best vendor?
Who do you want to operate on you, represent you in court, judge over you, teach your child? The best or someone who came in to fill a quota?

[MaraC]

BTW the ones that are the most opposed to affirmative action in my experience are usually people who would "profit" from it, like a hispanic coworker I had. She detested being looked upon as not being hired etc. for her merit.

[Stephie_80]

Yeah, I agree. I mean we also don't want to be hired just because we're women, right?
But of course it should also not be the other way round. That someone is not hired because of race/class/gender issues.