1st of 3 query posts

[jennkitty]

These are meant to stimulate intelligent discussion.

What are your thoughts on affirmative action? Is it still a necessity? Have we as a society, painted ourselves into a corner? Should people be accepted into positions based solely on merit, vs. race? Discuss. Play nice.

Comments

[tsjafo]

I think positions should be based solely on merit. To that end I think where possible interview should be in written format with no information about race, creed, or color included.

All that said, I think the continuing problems with racism require some sort of "affirmative action" to ensure some sort of balance and opportunity.

This is, of course, my opinion and in no way reflects the policy of the management.

[davev1968]

I think Affirmative Action was, and is, counter-productive. From resentment generated in the workplace to students failing out of college at a higher rate, it has been bad for everyone.

[j3nny3lf]

Ooh, tricky question.

On the one hand, we still need affirmative action because we still live in a very biased, sexist, racist, prejudicial society.

On the other hand, if I were a fully qualified white man who was refused a job I was amazingly suited for and somebody with less suitability for that job were hired in my place because of a race or gender quota, I would be extremely angry, and rightly so, because I am being made to suffer because of other people's biases. In many ways, the White Male is the new minority, when it comes to issues like this. Some people would say well, karma, what goes around comes around, but I say two wrongs don't make it right.

Even so, I can't see any other way to ensure some sort of fairness for ALL people.

Affirmative action, like legal abortion, is a necessary evil at this point in time.

[davev1968]

I disagree

[naudia]

Good question. People can do a lot of harm to their own companies by insisting that certain percentages of positions should be of different races or genders from the norm. On the other hand, many places would never consider hiring someone that they felt was "different" otherwise. In either case, a person should be qualified for the position, but again, how do you control such things?