Nebraska, Doing It Right....

[daleduke17]

As they have pretty much banned Affirmative Action.

http://pantagraph.com/articles/2008/...5657709791.txt

Affirmative action is one of the stupidest ideas I've ever heard of. I don't want some police officer hired just because the town needed a minority to keep the ratio right. When I want a building built, I want the best crew building it so I know it is done right. Not a group of "underserved populations" to keep the warm fuzzies going around.

Also, if I'm the most qualified applicant to a job...I better get my ass hired. If I'm not the most qualified...don't hire me. Don't overlook me because I'm a white guy.

And please, folks, don't start with comments like "About time a white guy says this" or "now you know how true minorities feel".

[Greenday]

Oh noez! People can't get hired if they aren't the most qualified for the position! The horror!

[Rapscallion]

For me, AA is like the Gar Pride marches. They had their place to bring attention to a deplorable situation, but they should be re-evaluated to see if they're still required. That would require a fair and impartial body examining the situation. Not sure such exists, mind...

Rapscallion

[smileyeagle1021]

For me, AA is like the Gar Pride marches.

BTW, what is "gar pride"... not quite familiar with that particular group (sorry Raps, that one was too easy)

Though speaking of AA, yeah I think that Nebraska did the right thing. If I get a job I want to know it is because I'm most qualified and if I don't get a job I want to know it's because I'm not the most qualified. I had a coworker at the call center who had turned down a job because he found out that he had been offered it because the company needed to fill it's quota for African Americans... he was insulted, he hated the idea that someone felt that he deserved a job for no other reason than he was black. Something I hadn't thought of before meeting him, but I now believe is that AA is one of the most racist institutions in this country... really if you think about it, AA is saying that minorities can't do it on their own so they need government help.

On a similar vein, I have no problem with colleges saying "normally you wouldn't meet our entry requirements, but we believe that is because of the situation you grew up in and had you been in a better environment you would have easily made our entry requirement"... as long as being a minority isn't what they are considering race to be one of those "bad environment" factors... low income, fine, bad school district, fine, race, not fine.

[Slytovhand]

BTW, what is "gar pride"... not quite familiar with that particular group (sorry Raps, that one was too easy)

Sigh... Smiley, I'm disappointed... The Garfish is a particularly vulnerable, and often overlooked species. Everyone wants goldfish, and the more exotic ones from the tropics.. but garfish? Nope! Can you get gar at a fisho's? Nope, sorry, cod, barra, even flake... but no gar Even gets thrown back when they're caught. So, it's about time we got together, stood up for them, and proudly declared "I'm Gar, and I'm proud!"...

(even easier )


Daleduke... now you know how minorities feel! (well, I didn't start with it.....)

I haven't read the article yet (actually, it won't let me ). but... there are times you want the most qualified, there are times when it just doesn't matter. Besides, 99% of the time, you'll never get the most qualified. A question, you want your house painted. Does it seriously matter who is doing it, as long as it is done right? Becase I can't get the article, I'm going to assume those doing the job there are capable - but maybe just not the best. And it is from those situations that people with a particular talent may be able to make a career out of something because they are given a shot... when all other avenues appear closed to them. Skin colour, per se, is not enough of a reason, though. Other significators, though, are! (as smiley said)

[smileyeagle1021]

"I'm Gar, and I'm proud!"...

OK, I'm so glad I wasn't drinking when I read that... otherwise I would need a new keyboard...

that said... I think I need to use that as my quote now

[AdminAssistant]

AA is illegal in Nebraska? *cancels trip to Omaha*

Oh, you mean.....OH.

[Saydrah]

Opportunity should be accessible for all. If that means giving minorities an extra hand up to even out all the times they're stepped on, so be it.

[MystyGlyttyr]

Hey, technically, I could be counted as a Native American AND Irish, as I fulfill the quarter-blood mark for both (though it's a couple of different kinds of Native American, admittedly). Further, I have black ancestors as recently as great-greats, as I have dark-skinned family just across the area river.

Yet, my skin is not the proper shade, so I get nothing. Trust me, I've tried. Desperate times and whatnot.

Affirmative action is a failure because it measures something that people can't even agree on how to measure. After all, if the person hiring goes by the one-drop rule, I easily qualify as at least three different types of minorities (four if you count the girl thing).

My ancestors got stepped on pretty fucking hard, too, but I don't think that should entitle me to anything other than the benefit of learning from history. And what I learned from history is that raising any group above any other for the sake of what is basically revenge will always spin back around on the people being raised up, because the alleged repressed group(s) will eventually get sick of it and backlash. I think we're seeing the beginning of it now.

[Slytovhand]

And what I learned from history is that raising any group above any other for the sake of what is basically revenge will always spin back around on the people being raised up, because the alleged repressed group(s) will eventually get sick of it and backlash. I think we're seeing the beginning of it now.

Sexual equality?

Just saying that some people will see such things as 'gaining equality' as 'raising above others'. Human nature if someone seems to get something as a privilege that others have to work for... (or not... just saying...)

[wanderingjoe72]

I feel this one. I have friends that had to leave town to find work as firefighters or police officers, because AA had made it that almost no whites were being hired for those positions until more recently.

So a good friend is now a 5 hour drive away because of the color of his skin.

Thumbs up to Nebraska, let us follow their lead.

[Flyndaran]

I look and act like the whitest white guy around, but as my maternal grandmother is hispanic, I can legally label myself hispanic on any form. The military thought that my blue eyed blondish brother made a mistake when he filled in that bubble.
How do all you pro affirmative action people deal with that? I consider myself far more of a minority for being a left hand atheist than as a legal minority.
But as I might get hired only because I filled in that particular bubble, then I'll sure continue to do so.

[daleduke17]

I look and act like the whitest white guy around, but as my maternal grandmother is hispanic, I can legally label myself hispanic on any form. The military thought that my blue eyed blondish brother made a mistake when he filled in that bubble.
How do all you pro affirmative action people deal with that? I consider myself far more of a minority for being a left hand atheist than as a legal minority.
But as I might get hired only because I filled in that particular bubble, then I'll sure continue to do so.

Take the "race" bubbles off of all applications.

Actually, take everything off of job applications that have nothing to do with the job itself. Anything about race, previous military experience (if you have been in the military, put that as a previous employer), any groups belonged to, and receiving foodstamps or other governmental assistance are just a few items I'd remove from all applications. That just muddles up applications.

All a business needs to know: Name, contact information, schooling, previous employers and references.

[Evandril]

Heh, the 'military' one tends to be followed by 'honorably discharged?' You check no, and unless they are desperate, your application hits the circular file (From all of my experience talking with managers of various places, at least...though dated, might have changed)