Affirmative Action

Affirmative action is a very awful thing hidden with good intentions.  No one I know and I feel no one on this blog will say that racism is good.  And affirmative action is racism, in reverse of what it is intended to help.   So if what you want to fix is opportunity then, make it illegal to ask for race on any application that way regardless of color the best person is chosen.   Again don't punish hard work and kids that excel.  If it is the fact that a black from a slum can not prepare like a white upper class kid from Connecticut remember that it is not race that you are trying to fight it is economic privilege, thus make affirmative action not about race but about economic privilege.  To me if someone is saying that affirmative action is good they are saying that it is ok to be racist but only when it helps a minority.  Remember that the kid from the slum can be white and the kid from Connecticut can be black.

Tim I do agree that there are no inherent differences between races, but the are inherently treated differently, as my wife very emotionally pointed out to me tonight.  Her father a wealthy doctor has been pulled over and treated like a drug dealer, because he drives a BMW or because he is black or is that how the cops treat everyone they pull over. I am inclined to believe that the latter is false and the initial two are true.  So this brings up profiling, is it right no, does it happen yes.  Do minorities commit more crimes than the majority yes, but is it a function of societal economics I would argue yes.  Thus profiling is again racist and I don't agree with it.  And you mentioned Jews, Italians and the Irish did make it up the ladder of our society, but what is one common denominator in them, they are all white.

I am at two minds about about race though Tim.  Do I think talking about race all the time i.e elections make race better or helps the situation, no I do not.  But do I think that race can be ignored, no I do not, especially in that I will be having colored kids.  But I will teach my kids that race is not a crutch and to make themselves stand out for their intelligence, drive and dedication.  

Hodge I do agree with you that much of what this comes down to is education, specifically public education.  I think this is one of the most important things my tax money is spent on.  I think we do need to find a better way to fund public schools, and I don't think property taxes is the way to do it.  It is also like you said difficult to get good teachers to work in the bad areas, I do think a subsidy of some sort would help with that, but remember that will bring more teachers not necessarily better teachers.  But a better educated country will do nothing but good for everyone, and that should be one of the highest priorities of all politics, parents and citizens.  

-Zachary