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Old 09-18-2005, 06:36 PM   #50 (permalink)
politicophile
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alansmithee
Also, my analogy is near-perfect. Even assuming that the advantages break solely along economic class lines (which is wrong anyway, because a poor white guy can still put on a suit and nobody would innately see he was poor. A minority couldn't do the same quick transformation), there is still a problem because a disproportionate amount of those who are poor are black.
The SES disadvantage isn't based merely on how you are perceived by others: the more important factor to consider is the effect it has on educational opportunities and reading materials. The fact that black people are disproportionately poor is not a problem. The problem is that this fact is used to justify race-based reverse-discrimination in order to counteract a socioeconomic disadvantage. If being poor makes it harder to get accepted into college, for example, then poor white people and poor black people should be helped out equally.

In a colorblind society, racism could not be perpetuated under the guise of helping the poor, for example. Instead of looking at someone's skin color to determine whether or not they are in need of assistence, each candidate could be looked at individually. I can't even convey how wrong it is to assume that all candidates of Race X need the same handicap. Black people are individuals. White people are individuals.

Another advantage of a colorblind society that I have not yet mentioned is the effect on minority perceptions of their own capabilities. Imagine how you would feel if people had said to you all your life, "Your race has been discriminated against in this country for centuries. Because you are a member of that race and have yourself been a target of discrimination, you are not able to compete on a level playing field with white applicants. You deserve special treatment to counteract the evils that have happened to others of your race. Remember that time the store owner in the mall ignored you? Remember that time when your classmate called you a nigger? Remember that time your great-great-great grandfather was lynched by the KKK? Because those things happened, you are incapable of getting into a good college without getting extra points for being a member of a minority race. Fortunately, affirmative action is here to help you."

Once young people buy into this kind of logic, they have every incentive to blame any setbacks or problems they have on their race. Their heritage becomes a curse, a thing to be ashamed of. It doesn't take long to realize that minority races are given handicaps because they are pittied. And one does not receive pity from equals or subordinates.
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