James A. Young's Column     drag divider to resize column

  IS AFFIRMATIVE ACTION NEEDED?  

An initiative is now under way to eliminate affirmative action. Each side of this debate claims to be motivated by the desire to promote racial equality. The uninformed, bombarded with an avalanche of simplistic demagoguery, have difficulty knowing who to believe. Much inflammatory rhetoric is being tossed about. However, before we are suckered by the demagoguery, we need to take stock of the facts and deliberate upon the issue with reason instead of emotion. There is plenty of emotion to be inflamed by demagogues over this issue and bias is known to serve agendas well. People may make the wrong decision at the ballot box if they are led to think with their hearts instead of their minds. It is easy to concoct horror stories about the white guy who lost a job opportunity to some minority applicant who wasn't even qualified. It's easy to portray "equal opportunity" as "preferential treatment". And it's easy to forget that prior to affirmative action the only job opportunities available to minorities were for jobs digging ditches, picking up garbage, waiting on tables or perhaps as a maid or janitor. Those of us who lived in the 50's and 60's know that minorities did not have access to skilled or professional career opportunities. Instead, racism and bigotry ravaged their every attempt at equality. The only remedy having effect is affirmative action. Affirmative action was written into American law to extend economic equality to minorities. This simple goal rises from concern over statistical data which clearly shows that minorities do not have equal access to educational opportunities, employment opportunities, or equal wages. Thus, with the force of law, affirmative action mandated that minorities would receive a representative fair share of educational and job opportunities. Immediately, racial demagogues leveled charges of reverse discrimination. They claim that minorities are receiving preferential treatment and favored status. We have endured three decades of this verbal assault. Now with conservatives in control of local, state and federal governments, we are finally witness to the attempted destruction of this tried and proven tool of economic equality.

There is only one credible measure of economic equality. It all comes down to money. Logically, if minorities have enjoyed three decades of preferential treatment in job opportunities, minorities should have all the good jobs locked up. Minorities should be making more money than whites. Women should be holding better jobs and making more money than men. But wait! Dept of Labor statistics dispute this assertion. The incomes of minorities still lag far behind their Anglo Saxon counterparts. Women still have not caught up with men in wages and job opportunities. The economic facts demonstrate that "minority preferences" are actually a far cry less.

Is racism and bigotry really dead? Jokes, stories and other rhetoric which fall upon our ears evidence substantial prejudice, bigotry and racism. Minorities are rarely stereotyped as anything better than lazy, stupid, and irresponsible. Unfortunately, employers often accept stereotypes as fact. Commonplace jokes about dumb blondes, black thieves, and stupid pollacks, are clearly intended to nurture disrespect. Yet, affirmative action has given minorities a chance to enjoy many economic opportunities; opportunities racism, prejudice and bigotry would deny.

Racists long to return to the days when low paying jobs will be the only jobs available to minorities. The destruction of affirmative action would make their dream come true. I care enough about equality to make sure that doesn't happen. The question is, do you?

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