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Originally Posted by politicophile
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.
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Again, this is totally wrong. You want to ignore race as an issue in socioeconomic status because doing so helps keep blacks down. You say it's not a problem that there are disproportionately more poor blacks than whites? The only reason someone could think this is if A. they feel blacks to be innately inferior or B. they want to maintain a race-based lower class. Either viewpoint isn't based on any true notion of "fairness", but on keeping the status quo of whites gaining an advantage from their race. And if that's your position, there's really no reason for further discussion.
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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.
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No, in a "colorblind" society, racism is perpetuated under the guise of blacks not being as "qualified". And your idea of looking at people individually is naive and ridiculous. You can't implement public policy on a one-on-one basis. I will agree that not all blacks are in need of AA, but because a couple don't need it doesn't invalidate the program.
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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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Again, you try to take on the role of sympathizer, but what you type makes it abundantly clear that it's not the case. You are still assuming that racism is something that is in the history books, and not an ongoing thing. It wouldn't have been my great-great-great grandfather lynched by the KKK, it would've been my GRANDFATHER. And I'm only 24. Racism didn't die with the dinosaurs. You say that young people would blame setbacks on their race, but you want to ignore any racism in society in favor of making sure that whites maintain their current favored status.