When you are filling out a job application or applying for a scholarship, whoever you are applying to does not get to see you until an interview or some sort of meeting is held. On paper, everyone is equal. So why do they ask for your race?
It is understandable that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has laws to protect minorities and hinder racial discrimination but is it going too far when there is a quota? If there are 5 jobs open, shouldn't the top 5 candidates get the job? But what if a racial quota is set up so that one of those five has to be Hispanic and one has to be African American? They might not be in the top 5 most qualified for the jobs. The opposition is equally important and right, the top 5 candidates may have one minority but may not get the job they are applying for because of racism. So why do they draw attention to race at all? It's obvious, discrimination is everywhere and stereotypes are a huge contributor to racial discrimination. But how do stereotypes get established?
Why do you think they ask for your race on your standardized tests and surveys? So you can be a number. Part of some sort of statistic to say that Asians scored lower than African Americans, but Hispanics scored higher than whites. Why does it matter? Is it right to be asked your race on any survey? You become a number to support a stereotype. Think back a couple weeks when you read the hurricane Katrina article in Mr. Keller's class.. It specifically called out that African Americans were not evacuated. But were all whites evacuated? Were Hispanics evacuated? No. The fact that most were African American is irrelevant to the point. Everyone should have been evacuated, and that's the idea that SHOULD be implemented. There is no need to draw attention to race, they are all people. So should you be asked for your race on any survey or application and why does it matter?
19fierofanatic86
7 comments:
I agree with you completely on this point. Requiring a race identification on an application is ridiculous. As our constitution states that, "All men are created equal", why should this matter?
Its as if they are telling you a lie. Lets say if there were try-outs for a volleyball team, and a sheet of paper is passed around that says "Write your name and how many years of volleyball experience you have had." You then fill this out while the coaches are telling you that this won't effect if you make the team or not. How is that possible? You know they are going to look at it.
Same with someones race. Is it right to use this as a determination to who "makes the team?"
Having to tell your race shouldn't ever be an issue.
No one should have to put in on any survey.
It also shouldn't affect jobs, the most qualified should get the job! it shouldn't depend on race!
I agree 100% with this post. As Clarence Thomas,the associate justice of the United States Supreme Court, once stated,"I don't believe in quotas. America was founded on a philosophy of individual rights, not group rights."
It's a way to keep track of people and is an outdated and obselete system. It will change someday.
I love your discussions though and have linked your blog to my blog for others to read.
I almost forgot. The link back to my blog is http://aclark-stressedoutteacher.blogspot.com/.
I think most everyone agrees that Affirmative Action is, at this point, largely negative in its affects.
However, I think the original idea was quite important, and at the time, it showed a step forward towards racial equality.
As with everything else, when one phase of maturity is outgrown, it will be disbanded. America is only just waking to the realization that we are outgrowing Affirmative Action, and eventually--hopefully sooner than later--steps will be taken to prove our society no longer needs it to nearly ensure racial equality in educational and professional settings.
PS...we got groupies!!!
Affirmative action isn't just for racial equality, it also prevents discrimination based on sex. Women still make less money for each dollar they earn then men do, and that needs to be fixed.
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