[Vision2020] Affirmative Action
DonaldH675@aol.com
DonaldH675@aol.com
Wed, 19 Feb 2003 14:38:54 EST
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Don and Visionaries,
There is no doubt that Gen. Thomas served his country with courage and
distinction during the Civil War. I suppose that we can also agree that
given Gen. Thomas' personal proclivities, the destruction of slavery was
probably not the motivating factor in his service to the Union. It was,
rather, just one of the happy and unintended results.
It is important to note that merit and affirmative action are not mutually
exclusive, despite conservative efforts to always link the two. However,
for merit/promotion/opportunity to operate equitably, we must all begin on a
level playing field. Surely, Don, you would not claim that this is the
current situation in the United States - or for that matter, anywhere else in
the world. If one is born into a poor family, regardless of racial
identification, one is less likely to be "successful" than if one is born
into a middle-class or wealthy family. If one is guaranteed entrance to a
prestigious college, say Yale, because one's father is an alumni (re: the
world's most famous C-student, George W. Bush, who was admitted to Yale as a
"legacy" student), certain social and political advantages are automatically
bestowed. These are quite distinct from those achieved by personal effort.
I would argue that, generally speaking, the recipients of such benefits do
not recognize, much less acknowledge, the unwarranted rewards of having the
"right" birth parents. (As Ann Richards once observed, George Bush was born
on third base and thought he hit a triple.)
So, why is it that those of us who have inherited the skin color of the most
powerful ethnic group in this country fail to recognize that race is just
another lucky break? And, more offensively, why are white people so eager to
claim personal participation and insight in the area of racial equality? How
would we know? Where and how have we experienced historic, pervasive, and
continuing cultural barriers operating against our whiteness? Where's the
appalling shortage of white CEOs, Supreme Court justices, members of
congress, doctors, lawyers, college faculty, etc., etc.? Consider how often
you or I or George Bush bother to reflect on the bleak situation and lack of
opportunities available to poor white youngsters growing up in Appalachian
coal mining towns. How much less often, then, do we think of the prospects
for African American children growing up in inner city ghettos? While some
of us enjoy the privilege of money, famous family connections, and entrance
to all the right colleges and all the right clubs, many others have to
struggle by on food stamps without adequate housing, education, or health
care.
I restate again that it is my profound belief that those of us who have
enjoyed the greatest measure of unmerited privilege are the very ones who
complain most bitterly about the opportunities that affirmative action
legislation offers to those outside our racial/socioeconomic/gender group.
And, if you don't agree that being born white, middle-class, able-bodied, and
male are all unmerited privileges with inherent cultural and economic
rewards, then I hope to hell there is reincarnation. Perhaps in your next
life, you'll be poor, black, disabled and female--and living in a
conservative Republican paradise where those at the top believe all it takes
to succeed is willpower and elbow grease.
Maybe that's why Colin Powell supports affirmative action. In a just,
merit-based world, George W. would be working for him, not vice versa.
Regards,
Rosemary Huskey
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<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=
=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0">Don and Visionaries,<BR>
<BR>
There is no doubt that Gen. Thomas served his country with courage and disti=
nction during the Civil War. I suppose that we can also agree that giv=
en Gen. Thomas' personal proclivities, the destruction of slavery was probab=
ly not the motivating factor in his service to the Union. It was, rath=
er, just one of the happy and unintended results. <BR>
<BR>
It is important to note that merit and affirmative action are not mutually e=
xclusive, despite conservative efforts to always link the two. H=
owever, for merit/promotion/opportunity to operate equitably, we must all be=
gin on a level playing field. Surely, Don, you would not claim that th=
is is the current situation in the United States - or for that matter, anywh=
ere else in the world. If one is born into a poor family, regardless o=
f racial identification, one is less likely to be "successful" than if one i=
s born into a middle-class or wealthy family. If one is guaranteed ent=
rance to a prestigious college, say Yale, because one's father is an alumni=20=
(re: the world's most famous C-student, George W. Bush, who was admitted to=20=
Yale as a "legacy" student), certain social and political advantages are aut=
omatically bestowed. These are quite distinct from those achieved by p=
ersonal effort. I would argue that, generally speaking, the recipients=
of such benefits do not recognize, much less acknowledge, the unwarranted r=
ewards of having the "right" birth parents. (As Ann Richards once obse=
rved, George Bush was born on third base and thought he hit a triple.) =
<BR>
<BR>
So, why is it that those of us who have inherited the skin color of the most=
powerful ethnic group in this country fail to recognize that race is just a=
nother lucky break? And, more offensively, why are white people so eag=
er to claim personal participation and insight in the area of racial equalit=
y? How would we know? Where and how have we experienced historic=
, pervasive, and continuing cultural barriers operating against our whitenes=
s? Where's the appalling shortage of white CEOs, Supreme Court justice=
s, members of congress, doctors, lawyers, college faculty, etc., etc.? =
Consider how often you or I or George Bush bother to reflect on the bleak s=
ituation and lack of opportunities available to poor white youngsters growin=
g up in Appalachian coal mining towns. How much less often, then, do w=
e think of the prospects for African American children growing up in inner c=
ity ghettos? While some of us enjoy the privilege of money, famous fam=
ily connections, and entrance to all the right colleges and all the right cl=
ubs, many others have to struggle by on food stamps without adequate housing=
, education, or health care.<BR>
<BR>
I restate again that it is my profound belief that those of us who have enjo=
yed the greatest measure of unmerited privilege are the very ones who compla=
in most bitterly about the opportunities that affirmative action legislation=
offers to those outside our racial/socioeconomic/gender group. And, if you=20=
don't agree that being born white, middle-class, able-bodied, and male are a=
ll unmerited privileges with inherent cultural and economic rewards, then I=20=
hope to hell there is reincarnation. Perhaps in your next life, you'll=
be poor, black, disabled and female--and living in a conservative Republica=
n paradise where those at the top believe all it takes to succeed is willpow=
er and elbow grease. <BR>
<BR>
Maybe that's why Colin Powell supports affirmative action. In a just,=20=
merit-based world, George W. would be working for him, not vice versa.=
<BR>
<BR>
Regards,<BR>
Rosemary Huskey<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
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