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Sensitive topics

RockinURockinU Member Posts: 248
edited May 2002 in General Discussion
While we're on a sensitive topic kick around here, I've got one. How about affirmative action? Don't you think that fighting discrimination with discrimination is kind of contradictory? It's never made a bit of sense to me.

Comments

  • 96harley96harley Member Posts: 3,992 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Don't believe in it. Let everyone stand on his own ability. There are a multitude of guys smarter than I am. They are black, yellow, red, you name it. I'm just content with what I have. If we were all color blind we wouldn't need it.
  • mcneely77mcneely77 Member Posts: 411 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I feel that any job that entails saving someones life, or property, (police, fire, emt,) should go to the most qualified. Regardless of race, sex, or religion. We should not cater to the lowest common denominator.

    Do not mistake my kindness for weakness.

    IALEFI, ASLET, NRA, and proud owner of a pair of S&W revolvers.
  • Gordian BladeGordian Blade Member Posts: 1,202 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Just to present the other side, here's the theory which I'll condense: Despite the existence of anti-discrimination laws, certain races are still covertly discriminated against and due to historical inequities are behind other races in desirable qualities for employment such as education and experience. Therefore, to make up for past general wrongs done to these races and modern residual racism, the scale has to be overbalanced toward the other side.

    The flaw in this argument is obvious to anyone with an ounce of common sense. Just because someone is a certain race does not mean that they are socially disadvantaged. Nobody is going to convince me that Colin Powell's or Michael Jordan's kids are socially disadvantaged compared to mine. If a college or employer wants to look at a person's overcoming a bad start for whatever reason on an individual basis (poor, orphan, health, etc.) then that's another thing entirely. But to do it on the basis of race alone is just as wrong as any other kind of racial discrimination. It's an intellectually lazy and dishonest way for liberals to feel that they've done something to redress past racial bias.
  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I inquired about getting into the DNR with several officers who were my customers. They told me, honestly,.....being a white male,....if I didn't score at least a 98% on the entrance exam, my application would be filed in the "round file". That's my tax dollars, hard at work for me. Never mind I have spent a large part of my life both on boats and in the field hunting and would be a perfect candidate for that job.

    A great rifle with a junk scope,....is junk.
  • 4GodandCountry4GodandCountry Member Posts: 3,968
    edited November -1
    ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL, then the government gets involved and thats that.(SNAFU)

    When Clinton left office they gave him a 21 gun salute. Its a damn shame they all missed....
  • YankeeClipperYankeeClipper Member Posts: 669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I know of people that had not a prejudice bone in their body untill reversed discrimination became legal.

    Helping keep America free: One gun at a time.
  • mudgemudge Member Posts: 4,225 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Clipper.....Right on.

    Mudge the WASPM

    I can't come to work today. The voices said, STAY HOME AND CLEAN THE GUNS!
  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    When I was in Hollywood (after USC Cinema school) I was struggling to get a break, and the Assistant Director Training Program started. It was a blatant affirmative action program. At the time, this was seen as politically correct. I applied, took the testing, and despite my (blush) distinquished performance at USC, did not get in.

    On the other hand, there was still discrimination because those who had a particular prejudice would choose someone less objectionable to them, perhaps an Asian over an African American, for example. At least it sure appeared that way. Sensitive topic indeed. Even some minority groups are saying that if there was a time when affirmative action was a help in balancing the injustices of the past, that balancing act may be over now. It's really not my issue, not being a minority myself (other than 1/16 Native American, according to my Grandma).

    - Life NRA Member
    If dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
  • glb243glb243 Member Posts: 49 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    "God created man, Sam Colt made him equal."

    "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."-Benjamin Franklin
  • Big Sky RedneckBig Sky Redneck Member Posts: 19,752 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Affirmative action should be illegal, it is discrimination at its best and it's pushed by the people sworn to uphold freedom! Take away ones freedom of choice and force him/her to do something they do not want!

    Let's say for arguments sake, I own my own trucking comany, I have 100 trucks(not many by todays standards) and 10 office personel. Now it's my comany, my money, my choice, right? I decide I want all women in the office, no men so I inly hire women for dispatchers and safety operations. Next I only hire men to drive, no women. The men must be between the ages of 35 and 50 and have atleast 10 years driving experiance, no less. Well the only applicants that qualify under my standards are white. The blacks that applied are all under the age requirment and do not have the experiance I'm looking for. The LAW says I have to hire so many minorities but none that applied met the criteria therefore I only hired the ones that qualified, white men. I also had women apply but my choice, no women in the trucks. Now I got the ACLU on my case telling me to change my standards and hire people that in my opinion do not qualify and that goes against my ideas of an orderly outfit. Then they take me to court, the judge orders me to hire those I do not want to. I told the judge I would hire blacks that have the requirments but none applied, he said tough, hire them anyway. He also told me to hire women, I explained to him that in MY opinion women in trucks cause problems, I have been on the road long enough to see how women act on the road and I did not want that kind in my trucks. He told me to hire them anyway because affirmative action tells me I have to. I then try to plead with him and tell him that all my trucks are full, I do not have enough bussiness or funds to purchase more trucks to meet the "quota" and the only way I could do that is to fire some of my drivers to free up trucks for the minorities, he told me to do that. Now I get mad and spout off about how this is the USA and I am a free man and have the right to hire who I want when I want, I acuse him of being a communist for telling me how to run MY business that I run with MY money and no government help. He finds me in contemt of court and tosses me in jail, the blacks and women sue me for discrimation and win, I now have to file bankruptcy and lose my business because of affirmative action.

    Do I think it's fair?? HELL NO! If a person has his own business that person should be allowed to hire WHOEVER HE WANTS WHEN HE WANTS! And to those that support affirmative action, go live in a comminist country, you should be happy there!
  • robsgunsrobsguns Member Posts: 4,581 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Not to get into it, but to add my own personal experience about the topic. The best job I ever had in the bag as a civilian, I did not get. I was told to my face by the man doing the hiring 'You are the most qualafied applicant I have had, and I'd like to hire you, but I have to hire a black man.' I was stunned, ticked, and sad, all at the same time. I hated America that day. Life sucks BAD some days. I dont hold that day against any one race in particular, I hold it against everyone. But you know what, its just human nature, you have to get over it, because, 'Stupid is as stupid does'. Wouldnt life suck if every day went perfectly well? God I love bad days, they make good ones seem so much better.

    SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC
  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,078 ******
    edited November -1
    We tried it for a while, using a three-tier rating system for hiring cops. We were trying to get more minority and female officers. We found that rating the test scores into three tiers was a lot of trouble and it got us no more minority hires than the old Equal Opportunity system so we went back.



    SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net
  • BoltactionManBoltactionMan Member Posts: 2,048 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think there is no such thing as "reverse discrimination", only discrimination. To not hire the most qualified applicant based on any race, creed , color, etc. is not only wrong it is stupid.

    This activity and other similar ones are what makes it harder for companies in this country to compete, not only with other U.S. companies but world wide. There will come a day when such well intentioned ideas will put us in the dumpster.

    KC
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