fredericks

I'm on My LJ, arguably the best bit of revamping the Goat people have done (although 100 icons for paid users is plenty nifty as well), checking to see if someone on my FL has a birthday coming up and, as I'm wont to do, I look over the random user entry. What I find is this wonderfully eloquent post on dealing with a relationship that has ended and how powerful relationships never really end. I'm reading it and I'm nodding to myself, saying "yes, EXACTLY, this is just how I felt when X Y Z" and I'm literally moved to tears at one point (I really have been crying entirely too much lately; I have no idea what's come over me). So before I reply and tell this person how wonderful I thought their entry curiosity moves to check out the gentleman's user information. I find the usual pseudo-deep musing and then, in the middle of all of it, this line: [l]ost my spot at Yale to an underpriviledged minority with a BMW. I'm not bitter, of course. I paraphrase the last sentence slightly, but I'll never forget that first one. It dun smacked me in the jaw. That and his libertarian and conservative republican interests clued me in - yup, dude's an ass. Or, to clean that up - he and I have completely different views on the world. *ahem*

Current Mood: sad

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

brooklynknight.livejournal.com

I'm gonna pull the PC siren here.

I think he has every right to be bitter. Politicians have allowed affirmative action into place so they can hide behind it and claim the land is equal so they can still get votes and what not, but it doesnt equal things out at all.
Affirmative action will never ever ever make racism and hate and fear between the races go away, quite the opposite it inspires more. The guy in question i sa good example.

If two people are equal in everyway in terms of talent and education, then they should be chosen based on their personality, first impression and other factors that only a human can determine. Factors that should be a clear benefit for the organization they are joining.

In order to "look good" many companies end up hiring underqualified minorities so they can fill quotas.

Look whats happening with the police an fire departments right now.
Certain politicans and black intrest groups are trying to get the testing requirements LOWERED. LOWERED. They are trying to LOWER THE BAR, to lower the standard! What kind of message does that send to minorities? "WE know you cant add up, but dont worry, we'll use our power and clout to get you in anyway, even if it ends up putting peoples lives in danger! We deserve it!"

They should be starting educational and athletic programs to help those minorities train and pass the test, nay SURPASS the test. Instead they are trying to make the test easier.

Its wrong. Its not really equal, and in the end everyone is cheated. All people, all races. In the end my country, my state, and my city are the ones who get hurt.

The one thing I'm willing to concede here is that the guy shouldnt feel entitled in the first place. He's got too much ego. But, I wish I could see a list of everyone that got in and how well they graded. Oh well, not gonna happen, its a moot point.

From:

fredericks.livejournal.com

Affirmative action was put into place as a way to attempt to amend for years of discrimination against minorities in this country. Segregation ended on paper less than 40 years ago. That's more or less one generation. Years of being denied education and job positions needed to obtain what white America may consider "the norm" when it comes to housing/opportunities for children in education/what have you. At its best it's a way to give minorities an opportunity at a position/place where they may not be otherwise and *give the upcoming generation examples they can strive for*. That's key, I think.

Certain politicans and black intrest groups are trying to get the testing requirements LOWERED. LOWERED. They are trying to LOWER THE BAR, to lower the standard! What kind of message does that send to minorities? "WE know you cant add up, but dont worry, we'll use our power and clout to get you in anyway, even if it ends up putting peoples lives in danger! We deserve it!"
Come on. Do you honestly think the standard will be lowered enough so that lives will be put on the line? That's why there are so many women firefighters, huh? And the "we deserve it" you tacked on at the end there is rather questionable. I would suggest you look into how years of discrimination and being devalued can affect a people before you start making it seem like blacks walk around with a sense of priviledge.

And as to the specific example I cited - no way does he have a right to be bitter.
1. He has no idea why he didn't get into Yale. No one, not after OR before AA was told why or how they didn't manage to get into a school, *particularly* an Ivy League school. His presumptuous statement is based solely on conjecture on his part. I got the feeling he had a minority classmate who got into Yale and he felt the student took his "spot". Schools generally do not say they'll take X amount of students from any school. They choose you based on whatever criteria they have.
2. Again, to say "his spot" was "taken" is to imply he would have, in fact, gotten into Yale...NAY was already IN the school and then some minority up and pulled the rug out from under him. Mighty ballsy to think you're in from jump, huh? Priviledge.

Its wrong. Its not really equal, and in the end everyone is cheated.
If you go around thinking the minorities working in your chosen facility or school got there because standards were lowered the only person you're cheating is yourself.

And how is it PC of me to assert the guy's statement is assholey and presumptuous based on something he has no damn idea about? I've been dealing with the whole "you only got into school because you're black" thing my entire life and, frankly, I've come to recognize asshole when I see it.

From:

eleventyteen.livejournal.com

Why would this guy be bitter about the one black kid with a BMW "taking" his spot when thousands of white people took spots that could have been his too? People automatically assume that its minorities are unqualified and got a boost to get in, never mind all the unqualified white kids who got in because of money or relatives, or the fact that they weigh in favor of public school education, even though a private school kid's raw stats might be better. Put together, they by far outnumber the black kids who got in "because they're black".

Not to mention, minority status doesn't automatically guarantee admission or even close to it. The black kids who get in are more than qualified to learn at the school. For those who don't already have it, they take into account the fact that blacks are less likely to have access to the extra resources that give highly qualified candidates that extra edge, like private schools or better public schools because of the way funding is distributed.

The system isn't perfect, but something that few people will openly admit, is that ususally, for a black person and a white person of a similar position, standing in the same place, the black person had to fight harder for it.

From:

brooklynknight.livejournal.com

I disagree. I belive that TODAY, if a black and white person are equally qualified for a job, and the black guy doesnt get it, all he has to do is cry descrimination, and if that company doesnt happen to have a large amount of minorities working there he'll win even if racism wasnt involved.

Affirmative Action was a START. It opened doors and paved highways, but its time to phase it out and to leave society to its own ways. If people dont learn to tolerate one another without being forced too..then we as a society dont deserve to exist.

Just ask the Cylons....

From:

keeni84.livejournal.com

*sigh*

Just last year there was a study done in New York City that said businesses hired white, male, ex-cons who'd just gotten out of prison over black men with no prison record.

Black men with no criminal record were given callbacks at HALF the rate of white men with criminal records.

I love how you say that all a black guy has to do is "cry racism"...as if he has nothing better to do. What? We all sit around with our non-qualified asses trying to get jobs at Fortune 500 companies? THAT DOESNT HAPPEN.

WHO IS GOING TO APPLY FOR A JOB THEY ARENT QUALIFIED FOR???????

Get this: Affirmative Action gives people WITH EQUAL QUALIFICATIONS the same chance.

I don't know what you people heard about Affirmative Action, but I don't know WHERE you got the whole "unqualified" bit. Maybe it's because of your OWN prejudices that make you think that black people are unqualified for the positions they apply for.

People like you make me sick--NO REALLY.

From:

brooklynknight.livejournal.com

Listen, calm the fuck down ok? People apply for jobs they arent qualified for all the time. All people of all races do it.

Affirmative Action is supposed to give people with equal qualifications the same chance but it doesnt. It gives minorities a BETTER chance be it they are equally qualified or not.

I'd like to you to link this study to back up your "facts". And even if they are true, affirmative action wont fix that. Forcing someone to hire an individual they dont want only creates resentment, hostile work enviroments and more racism.

I'm not making generalizations about all black people. I'm talking about specific situations. With specific circumstances. I'm intentionally trying to be narrow in what I say because I DONT want to generalize because none of this is true across the board.

I'm entitled to my opinion and my opinion doesnt make me prejiduced or racist. I want true equality for everyone. I dont want things to be forced. People need to stop viewing the world as white and black and brown and slanty eyed.

As far as I'm concerned the only shit that stuff is good for is a comedy routine. Stereotypes can be true, and some are, but that doesnt make them right, and that doesnt mean society should reinforce them.

If you wanna be angry at me because I want to be on equal footing with you, go ahead. You're the one propegating racism and hate.

From:

fredericks.livejournal.com

Annnnnd this exhange stops here.

From:

fredericks.livejournal.com

Do you think someone is going to take your points seriously if you end with People like you make me sick--NO REALLY. Not to mention all the shouting in your comment. I understand if you're angry about something that may have been said, but internet shouting isn't going to accomplish anything. The study you mentioned is very interesting, btw.