Why I support Affirmative Action..

[1654134681665465]

I believe that...

so once we prove something, we should have to prove it over and over and over again.  that's great.  good luck with that.

Um, for a program that is trying to correct a social flaw, yes.  You can't just say "racism once existed in America, therefore it still exists".  Isn't the point of AA to correct some of the harms of racism?  Once those wrongs have been corrected wouldn't AA have accomplished its purpose?  You wouldn't keep the program after it has accomplished its goal. 

[1654134681665465]

I love that you assumed I was a racist just because I don't support AA.  Do you really believe in AA for the purpose of addressing racism or do you just have a deep-seeded sense of entitlement?  I'm leaning towards the latter. 

[Hannibal]

Actually, I believe that any government program that benefits one group over another based solely on race should have the burden to prove that it is still needed and that the societal flaws that it was created to address are still prevalent.  If it can be shown that racism is still prevalent in America then AA should continue for a few more years and then be reassessed.  A limitless race-based program that always assumes that America is racist is going to continue even after racism is no longer a legitimate issue. 

No.  It must be proved that the societal flaws that it was created to address are actually fixed by the government program.

I just don't care anymore.  If you want to claim that your life sucks or that you deserve special treatmetn because of your skin color, that is your right.  Just don't expect me to buy into it or give you the special treatment you demand.

[1654134681665465]

i see now.  you're not so much a racist as you are a naive optimist. 

here's a tip: people are bastards.  bastard-coated bastards with bastard filling. 

the world's a much nastier place than you think it is.  accept it now because it just gets more painful to do later.

::kills self::

The world is a nasty place and blacks aren't the only victims of its nastiness.  That's the difference.  You seem to believe that blacks are the only ones who experience racism or who are victims.  FYI, other people experience racisms as well (including white people).  So why should one race get a program that tries to make up for racism and the others don't?  Again, I understand the use of it when it was originally implemented, BUT unless you can show that the playing field is no longer level, then it should be terminated. 

[1654134681665465]

No.  It must be proved that the societal flaws that it was created to address are actually fixed by the government program.

Hahahaha, that is exactly what i said.  And those supporting and running the program have the burden to prove that those flaws still haven't been fixed. 

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The established phrase is "deep-seated."

http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/001815.html

Thanks. 

[ashVU08]

i see now.  you're not so much a racist as you are a naive optimist. 

here's a tip: people are bastards.  bastard-coated bastards with bastard filling. 

the world's a much nastier place than you think it is.  accept it now because it just gets more painful to do later.

::kills self::

The world is a nasty place and blacks aren't the only victims of its nastiness.  That's the difference.  You seem to believe that blacks are the only ones who experience racism or who are victims.  FYI, other people experience racisms as well (including white people).  So why should one race get a program that tries to make up for racism and the others don't?  Again, I understand the use of it when it was originally implemented, BUT unless you can show that the playing field is no longer level, then it should be terminated. 

Yes, everyone experiences some racism that is true. But have white people suffered the same effects as black people and other minorities as a result of racism? No. It's very easy to say that we've all suffered the same when you belong to a privileged race or socioeconomic class that allows you wake up every morning and not have to worry about the bs that comes along with years and years of negative stereotypes and discrimination produced by various social institutions. And as much as people would like to believe that racism or discrimination based on other factors, doesn't exist anymore, it DOES, and it's effects last even longer, hence the reasoning behind affirmative action. Opportunities to better one's life come with money/wealth and networking, which is something that black people (and other disadvantaged groups) in general do not have a lot of because of years of discrimination in jobs and education. The goal of affirmative action is to recognize this and correct/alleviate the problem caused by the practices of social institutions by placing disadvantaged groups (poor people, minorities, women, etc.) in places where they are underrepresented so that they as a group can advance their status in society. If you belong to a group with a more privileged social status (men, wealthy, whites, etc) it's difficult to understand or agree with that reasoning because the benefits that you've enjoyed for so long are suddenly being threatened.

[1654134681665465]

I don't see how those benefits would be threatened.  Instead, I would worry that those who have worked hard and deserve a job/position out of MERIT wouldn't be getting it.  I also think that AA based on race wrong because other factors have be used to discriminate as well. Religion, economic status, political beliefs, etc.  If you look into anyone's past you can find examples of discrimination at some point.  As for as "networking" and that other stuff, those are connections that most people make during college and doesn't require the government to give them a boost. 

And for "waking up EVERY morning fearing the bs that other people are going to throw at you"...   Wow.  You must be so afraid of being black that you are probably more conscious of your skin color than most white who come in contact with you.  It is sad that you think you live in a world where every white person lays awake at night thinking of ways to oppress blacks and other minorities.  It sounds like you are the one who has racist views. 

[kat1231]

If you look into anyone's past you can find examples of discrimination at some point. 

the degree of discrimination varies greatly, however.

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At times, yes.  But there were certainly groups who suffered severe persecution.  I really don't think that you or anyone else can say with any degree of legitimacy which group had it worse.