6 replies to this topic

[musicman]

Affirmative Action Ban Passes

The Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, which sponsored the proposition

Voters in the state of Michigan have passed a proposition than bans affirmative action through the following means:

Michigan Civil Rights Institute said:

• Reflects the colorblind language of the 1964 Civil Rights Act -- because equal treatment is the essence of civil rights.

• Ends discrimination against groups and individuals based on race or sex for state employment, university admissions, and public contracting.

• Bans quotas and set-aside programs giving every person a fair chance to compete for good paying jobs and college admissions.

What do you guys think of this? I can't reserve judgment on this.

[djharkavy]

musicman, on Nov 9 2006, 03:41 AM, said:

Affirmative Action Ban Passes

The Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, which sponsored the proposition

Voters in the state of Michigan have passed a proposition than bans affirmative action through the following means:
What do you guys think of this? I can't reserve judgment on this.

You apparently just did.

I have never been a big favor of affirmative action, as it has been implemented. To me, if anything, race should be a minor deciding factor between those otherwise most qualified by comparison to the requirements of the job.

I think that the idea of hiring a less qualified person because of their race is an insult to those being hired with weaker ability. It is saying that they aren't good enough to get the job on their own merits, so they have to be hired based on some criterion other than their ability.

I think if we look at the incredible diversity of Tech students, we can see that excellence occurs in all shades, shapes and sizes, without having to reference race or cultural background in choosing people. And I think that it is a very good example of why we don't need affirmative action programs.

[teknite]

I think they made a good decision. affirmative action is descriminatory in itself. It's saying that minorities are unable to compete with everyone else so we should give them that little push. It's insulting to both sides

[Charles]

I think this is a good decision. Affirmitve action makes things equal among races but not among individuals. I would like to be hired for a position because I feel like I deserve it not because there arn't of people of my race in that position.

[stephanie]

It's great that at least one state reconizes that all races are equal.

[azntechguy]

It's about time I'd say! I always believed that in the long run, affirmative action provided a disservice to everyone involved in it (whether beneficiary or those left out as a result). In my opinion, the implementation of AA theoretically allows the beneficiaries to maintain a lower standard than everyone else and still get by without any repercussions whatsoever. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure the conscientious would use AA to advance themselves from their currently bad situation and eventually get on par with everyone else, but there's still a good room for misuse, make no mistake. The current implementation also locks out capable people not included as part of the "AA beneficiaries list" (one example among many others, which I've heard from my friends and which the Dean of Education briefly mentioned in a lecture: word is that Asians get the shortest end of the deal under AA. Whether that's true or not, I cannot say, but if something like that has popped up, I would be inclined to believe that there's some basis of truth in it, even if faint). I do not see why the people who did get to where they are get punished essentially for not fitting a criteria that they nor anybody else have control over. In a country that's perennially striving for equality, I don't think "shifting" how equality is served is actually improving the state of equality as a whole, but I also believe at the same time, it's still a necessary process to go and make a lasting stride towards equality.

No doubt that people will be complaining about this in Michigan (and I'd imagine appeals going wild at the courts), especially with the argument of "everyone has been growing at our expense and you owe it to us to return the favor" (my paraphrase of the argument that nearly every pro-AA people like to use). I hope they (pro AA) realize that stopping in the middle of what seems to be like a Le Chatlier's Principle in real life won't do anybody a favor in the long run. Rather, I hope they consider AA an eye-opener and not as a permanent solution. I hope this decision sticks and spreads across states.

[Wenger]

I'm glad they banned affirmative action. All people deserve equal rights. Just because certain groups are underrepresented, doesn't mean they deserve to have seats reserved for them. They should be more motivated and work harder. The idea of affirmative action is discriminatory in itself, quite ironic, isn't it?