The Race Debate

1.Affirmative Action: I feel your argument on this subject is flawed and far to simplistic. For example your assertion that white's have relatives who can bail them out, and minorities are far less likely to have them fails to put forth any factually based argument. Your argument would be better served to advocate socio-economic disparities in opportunity. If the purpose of affirmative action were to level the playing field for those who are at a historical disadvantage, then why not place the Irish on that list. They have suffered famines, utter poverty, institutional discrimination, all the things you list as your reasoning for affirmative action. See ( http://www.victorianweb.org... ) for any questions. Furthermore, in your final statement you claim that "affirmative action plans should still be in use until a significant time has passed to for them to put minorities at an advantage.", which is a huge problem. Since when should we be advocating for ANY group[ of people to have an advantage over anyone else? In fact they very document used to justify affirmative action, the Civil Rights Act of 1964. "In 1964 Congress passed Public Law 82-352 (78 Stat. 241). The provisions of this civil rights act forbade discrimination on the basis of sex as well as race in hiring, promoting, and firing." ( http://www.archives.gov... ). Clearly affirmative action would be making race a actor in hiring, promoting, and firing. My position on affirmative action is that it is no longer a necessary in today's society. I feel society's aim should be to move ourselves beyond race. Eliminate race from consideration. Bottom line we are all human beings, just with varying skin colors. We must strive to maintain equality for all, not certain special groups. I feel affirmative action does minorities a disservice. Instead of receiving jobs, and receiving promotions based exclusively on merit often times minorities are given them to fulfill required racial quotas. This discourages society from moving beyond race. Resentments on both sides continue to exist and it further fuels racial tensions. I agree that something must be in place to address discriminating ring practices. I feel the NAACP, Rev. Al Sharpton, and the ACLU dedicate themselves to combating these issues. Before I forget to bring this up, you did mention college students in your argument and wanted to point something out. Using "black" Americans as an example I would like to point out the many hundreds of minority exclusive college loans and financial aid services which minorities receive. There are no exclusively white colleges, scholarships, or financial aid. So what is affirmative action really giving us? 2. Racial Profiling: As expected you clearly did not understand my stance. Lets look at the issue of crime. I think we can both admit that crime takes place (statistically speaking) amongst the lower-income brackets of society. I would love to see the statistics of inmates vs. economic standing. Anyways, throughout the history for this country that crime occurs in greater numbers when people do not have the ability (or who's path is perceived as impossible) to improve their situations. Now being that minorities make up a large portion of the above mentioned group (predominantly in urban areas) would it not be fair to assume that crime would be occurring (statistically speaking take homicide for example) ( http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov... ) more within the under-privileged. To play devils advocate race profiling is often done to identify serial killers, arsonists (previous mentioned link shows whites making up the better of arson cases), and in various other instances profiles are given which indicate race possibilities. These numbers are compiled statistically. Which as I referred to earlier will indicate blacks and other minorities (which make up a large part of the lower economic class) are committing certain crimes. The profiling that goes on is not based exclusively in racial resentment, but attributed to statistical trends. When Europeans were pouring into this country in the late 1800's and early 1900's they comprised the majority of the "poor" in this country, and go figure they were involved in crime to a larger degree than natural born Americans. Which coincidentally enough occurred in large degree in urban areas. 3.Slavery Reparation Money: You correctly indicated only one thing in your argument, that "all those hours of work without payment has put a slave's decedents at a disadvantage" and not the whole statement, but that you identified who did the hours of unpaid labor, slaves. Which if you're up on your history ended a long time ago. My great-great grandparents suffered intolerable conditions in Ireland at the hands o the British. Do I feel any level of entitlement to money as a result of their toils, and injustices they suffered? Simply put, NO. Yes people suffered under slavery. Europe, The US, Africa (Black and White), colonialism, capitalism, greed, all contributed to slavery. Vikings pillaged my families native land, perhaps I should instruct the Norwegian and Swedish governments I am entitled to reparations. This is a cheap and disgraceful way for society to address the history of slavery. Larry Koger's book titled "Black Slaveowners Free Black Slave Masters in South Carolina, 1790-1860" details black slave ownership in this country. We should be addressing the issue of slavery with the moral integrity that it deserves. Analyze and research it, find out it's causes, effects, and consequences. Identify its impact on our society and deal with these issues head on through dialog and understanding. Not through chepening it with pay-offs and hand outs. *In general you referenced my being socialist numerous times and questioned my position. I believe in a society that does not recognize race as anything of relevance with regards to self worth. I recognize that we ll have different cultures and traditions however to attempt to put one above or below another is wrong. Socialism does not recognize race as an issue. I recognize the fact that the disparaging differences in income account for many problems in this country. That we should not make things black or white issues, but people issues. That my comrade is socialism.