I never Knew so many people were against Affirmative Action...

[360wavesandxbox]

So today in my class the topic of Affirmative action came up, and the majority of the people in my class(looking back im not surprised) are against the idea ofaffirmative action.
One guy, who happens to be a Sargeant of a nearby city Police Department even went on to say he doesn't see why companies "lower their standards"to just to hire "blacks and hispanics and women". Then he was joined in agreement by others in the class...
He went on about how its not fair to be looked over by lazier less deserving people just because of them being another race or gender. The whole time imsittin there giving him the

.

Is this really how most people think of us? As lazy and less deserving of a job?

 

[the yes guy]

Many people are against affirmative action because they feel it promotes stereotypes that minorities need help getting in to schools or getting jobs. Somepeople oppose it on economic grounds. Yes, there are also people who are against it for racist reasons.

 

[jumpshot]

wow, racists FTL

.

 

[realxfresh]

Same here, just discussed this in class and was shocked to see the vote split half half as to yay/nay.

 

[lazy b]

Welcome to the real world.

 

[airjordanseattle23]

Originally Posted by 360wavesandxbox

So today in my class the topic of Affirmative action came up, and the majority of the people in my class(looking back im not surprised) are against the idea of affirmative action.
One guy, who happens to be a Sargeant of a nearby city Police Department even went on to say he doesn't see why companies "lower their standards" to just to hire "blacks and hispanics and women". Then he was joined in agreement by others in the class...
He went on about how its not fair to be looked over by lazier less deserving people just because of them being another race or gender. The whole time im sittin there giving him the

.

Is this really how most people think of us? As lazy and less deserving of a job?

how do you know he was generalizing a whole race and not just on lazy/less deserving individuals? seems like your a bit to sensitive no offense.

 

[justscoreda100]

I wrote a paper about how AA should be replaced with a system that places more emphasis on economic status then race.

Ideally this system would be perfect but you never know how many closet racist there are in America.

 

[datznasty]

Again? Did you point out who the main benefactors of AA are, although maybe he knew since mentioned women?

 

[2wenty thre3]

Originally Posted by DatZNasty

Again? Did you point out who the main benefactors of AA are, although maybe he knew since mentioned women?

came in here to post that. That's why AA is very flawed in my opinion. Sure the idea sounds good, but it mainly helps women. White women for that matter.

 

[mytmouse76]

People are quick to assume the people who do get in cuz of AA are unqualified.

 

[ballinamillion1]

My math teacher back in high school was a racist, I was talking to this girl about her boyfriend and I said that he looked like the guy that was the shooterof the virginia tech massacre. We had the discussion a few weeks after the shooting and the guy looked just like him and my teacher busts out and call me aracist in front of the class, the girl i was talking to was like he really does look just like him. I apologized and w.e and the girl was like for what youdidnt need to apologize the teacher called you out for no reason.

Fast forward to yesterday I went to visit my old high school with one of my boys and we talked to this teacher and she was like I'm happy you guys arehaving fun at the university of michigan. Then she hit us with the u know I applied there i was already like

. She then proceeded to talk about howshe got a 32 on the act and a grade point similar to mine and she was waitlisted. I was like wow that sucked

again lol.

Then she said yea U know its different for me OBVIOUSLY because I was a white female trying to get in, and you guys can imagine how difficult It would be for aWHITE MALE to get in. At that point I was like trying not to say anything and just said I will talk to u later. I was heated man, like I've got whitefriends at good schools that had crappy act scores especially michigan

its really a shame man the whole incident really left a bad taste in my mouth and I'm prlly never returning to my old high school. btw im black lol

 

[360wavesandxbox]

Yes..it was quite amazing to say the least..literally the only people in my class to support it was me and 2 other women..lol..
And as for his question about fairness, i posed to him some questions as well..
It just seems that alot of white people are naive when it comes to racial subjects. Im not the "white man is holding me down" type of person, butthey just don't understand that especially down here in the south, College for black folks just became realistic the generation before mine, as in myparents, whereas they have been going for hundreds of years,thus instilling in the importance of college and networking, and having OPTIONS to network and haveupward mobility. That is something that alot of black people and other minorities are just now attaining.
And alot (not all) of them won't admit to discrimination and segregation,but it can clearly be seen all the time
One day, i was approached by someone who had the NERVE to tell me that he was offended by the notion of HBCUs. He said if there were all white colleges then wewould cry out for racism..All i could do was shake my head..I told him to look up WHY they were established. Because blacks would otherwise have never had achance at a college education..
We integrate the schools, then comes the creation of private and boarding schools that we obviously can't afford to attend, that charge the price ofcollege tuition themselves..no matter how hard we try, there is always a way to seperate..
It just baffles my mind...

 

[essential1]

I got into a discussion about this in American Politics we broke up into 5 groups of 6-10 kids, My discussion with another kid stopped the whole class and itbecame a 1 on 1 debate. Me being on the pro Affirmative Action side.

I really don't think some white people understand how easy they have it compared to some minorities (I am white).... Not to say white people don'tstruggle but certain things they don't have to deal with that other groups do. Things that effect everyday life.

People also don't realize for every unqualified Affirmative Action reception there is a white guy who doesn't deserve the job (so what is theexplanation of that).

Many times blacks, Hispanics, Asians, woman etc. are still looked over for jobs with affirmative action and they are more qualified.

And then if you are a minority and you earned your spot you are an automatic affirmative action hire. (Obama, Sotomayor, the list goes on)

The racism and bigotry in this country is not dead at all.

While I do believe an economic status Affirmative Action is better and will cover more people, we cannot just abolish Affirmative Action completely.

And to sum it up as a White Male I have never felt hindered, cheated whatever by Affirmative Action. My resume speaks for itself. I don't get a job Idon't get a job. I don't blame anyone else for it.

 

[harlemkickdiva]

Originally Posted by Essential1

I got into a discussion about this in American Politics we broke up into 5 groups of 6-10 kids, My discussion with another kid stopped the whole class and it became a 1 on 1 debate. Me being on the pro Affirmative Action side.

I really don't think some white people understand how easy they have it compared to some minorities (I am white).... Not to say white people don't struggle but certain things they don't have to deal with that other groups do. Things that effect everyday life.

People also don't realize for every unqualified Affirmative Action reception there is a white guy who doesn't deserve the job (so what is the explanation of that).

Many times blacks, Hispanics, Asians, woman etc. are still looked over for jobs with affirmative action and they are more qualified.

And then if you are a minority and you earned your spot you are an automatic affirmative action hire. (Obama, Sotomayor, the list goes on)

The racism and bigotry in this country is not dead at all.

While I do believe an economic status Affirmative Action is better and will cover more people, we cannot just abolish Affirmative Action completely.

And to sum it up as a White Male I have never felt hindered, cheated whatever by Affirmative Action. My resume speaks for itself. I don't get a job I don't get a job. I don't blame anyone else for it.

I wonder whose PB this came from

 

[highrep87]

Originally Posted by Lazy B

Welcome to the real world.

 

[651akathepaul]

Originally Posted by Essential1

I got into a discussion about this in American Politics we broke up into 5 groups of 6-10 kids, My discussion with another kid stopped the whole class and it became a 1 on 1 debate. Me being on the pro Affirmative Action side.

I really don't think some white people understand how easy they have it compared to some minorities (I am white).... Not to say white people don't struggle but certain things they don't have to deal with that other groups do. Things that effect everyday life.

People also don't realize for every unqualified Affirmative Action reception there is a white guy who doesn't deserve the job (so what is the explanation of that).

Many times blacks, Hispanics, Asians, woman etc. are still looked over for jobs with affirmative action and they are more qualified.

And then if you are a minority and you earned your spot you are an automatic affirmative action hire. (Obama, Sotomayor, the list goes on)

The racism and bigotry in this country is not dead at all.

While I do believe an economic status Affirmative Action is better and will cover more people, we cannot just abolish Affirmative Action completely.

And to sum it up as a White Male I have never felt hindered, cheated whatever by Affirmative Action. My resume speaks for itself. I don't get a job I don't get a job. I don't blame anyone else for it.

Well said.

 

[Master Zik]

First those people are ignorant. A.A. just gives them another topic to spew their racist opinions.

I should note that there are black ppl against A.A. as well for different reasons.

The lazy black side of me loves it but after that passes it's like I'm not getting this opportunity for my merits but the color of skin. The foundationof A.A. has suddle and subtle deep rooted reverse racism in it even if the framers weren't fully aware of it. It's like first it was lets not treatblacks like humans, now instead of equal lets treat them special especially when it comes to getting certain advantages. I understand for about a century youngwhite men innately had advantages and opportunities over just about every other race and blacks were basically the opposite but I don't think playingcatch up is the way to even the playing field. I don't have an answer for how to put blacks or any other race or nationality on equal footing with whiteppl but as we as a society progress I can understand some genuinely disadvantaged white ppl who aren't racist feeling it isn't fair. Now yes, slaverywas obviously not fair but I know one way to look at this "solution" is not every black person is subjected to the hatred and racism blacks faced 50years ago. Racism has basically become universal and most of us have realized certain groups of ppl just don't like others and in general everyoneisn't going to like each other.

I can see the argument on both sides, just wish there was a better way to skip this drawn out process but we can't control how ppl think when it comes towhy a person is hired for a job or given a certain opportunity..... yet. In many ways it'd be better if ppl were literally without hate but

that aint happening.

Saw a movie recently with this being one of the topics with Sarah Jessica Parker. I know at least one other person saw it. It was pretty good, caught me offguard when it was the black kid doing it

although it was typical given thelimited options.

 

[cool hand Luka]

Affirmative action is a completely positive thing, but one way in which it is administered is a bit unfair in my opinion. In order to get in automatically atthe University of Texas at Austin you must finish top 10% in your high school class... I would like to hear from people how affirmative action administered inthis method is fair... I support it fully in the job place, etc, but not in this method...

 

[socluis90]

I don't believe in A.A. because it's hypocritical in a way. You're hiring someone because of their race. That to me is racist. I believe peopleshould be hired for their qualifications only. I don't think I deserve a job over a white person who is better qualified because I'm a minority.That's what I'm going to school for, to EARN my job because of my talents, not my race.

HOWEVER I have realized that if it were up to the rich and powerful they'd hire only white people therefore I think A.A. is needed for now until everyonegets over their racist beliefs. It's sad that race is still a factor in a lot of #+@ going on today.

 

[tbone95860]

Supreme Court Justice nominee Sotomayor....

PAPER: Sotomayor once described herself as 'product of affirmative action'...

...admitted to two Ivy League schools despite scoring lower on standardized tests than many classmates, which she attributed to 'cultural biases... built into testing'... Developing...

 

[liquidswords1988]

I don't fully agree with the concept of Affirmative Action, in a perfect world things like employment would be based on nothing more than yourqualifications...everything else would be an afterthought. On another note we live in a world fixated on race/sex/class so it's almost become necessary ina way.

 

[kix4kix]

AA is necessary, so all fairness arguments should be tossed out the window.

 

[sillysneaks]

AA is a good thing because minorities do need the "help",
because if it were up to most people hiring they would
pick white people instead. Racism has never left, and never will.

 

[ouch my feet]

Sooner or later racism will weed itself out, as we grow closer and closer a melting pot the rules will change. I dont know what people are afraid of, societyas a whole will always be a mystery to me.

 

[frank 7he t4nk]

AA is necessary, but I think like someone else stated previous, it might be better if it was focused on economic status because one I think it catches morepeople so to speak and those who are impoverished tend to have a harder time succeeding in school compared to those who are better financial means.