Here's a litmus test for Barack Obama: where does he stand on racial preferences? If he's for them, then how can he claim to be a national unifier? What country bases its rule of social justice on attempting to figure out whose ancestors did what to whom?
A generation ago, racial preferences were arguably necessary for African Americans, especially in the South, to kick in the closed door of segregation and Jim Crow. But then other groups (women, Hispanics, immigrants, gays) climbed aboard the affirmative action bandwagon, absurdly proclaiming, "We are the new blacks." To which the answer is: are you the descendants of slaves? Can you begin to show a comparable history of suffering and deprivation as African Americans?
Today preferences based on race, gender, national origin and sexual orientation have largely become a scam. In elite colleges, for instance, they are a way for Jesse Jackson's kids to get an unfair advantage over poor white kids with better grades and better test scores. On those same campuses, women with lesser qualifications especially in the sciences are routinely hired as teachers over men who are more deserving. What could be more divisive, and more infuriating, then such policies of official race and gender-based discrimination?
Obama can launch a national debate, and give substance to his pledge to be a uniter, by saying: It's time for America to become a post-racial society. This doesn't mean that racism has ended or that as a social reality "race doesn't matter." But the character and magnitude or racism have dramatically changed. Racism today does not have legal sanction, as it once did. Equally significant, racism today is episodic rather than systematic. This means that the law no longer has to take account of race in order to get beyond race. The best way to get rid of race as a factor in decision-making is quite simply to get rid of race as a factor in decision-making. If racial preferences fall, obviously gender preferences would disappear as well.
If Obama makes this argument, it would astound the country and immediately draw moderate and even Republican support. The Hillary camp would launch its usual attacks, but against Obama they would bounce off. This is one issue on which Obama would have unimpeachable credibility.
Will he do it? Does he have the guts?
Reader Comments ( Page 9 of 10)
121. I will have to get the research on the sons of Noah..it's in my car right now, but I promise I will post the geneology from those sons, and how we are ALL linked together as far as race is concerned...I think you all will find it interesting...I know I did
Bridget at 11:35PM on Mar 10th 2008
122. After viewing something today about 911.......seriously, I am quite upset with our govt. at the moment...but again, should it really surprise me? And I am afraid that it has given me a paradigm shift in my mind about this whole war thing going on....and I am quite upset with Mr. Jeb Bush right now...oh and others too
Bridget at 11:50PM on Mar 10th 2008
123. For all who think that Affirmative Action programs for descendants of African slaves should end, let me share this with you. Africans were shackled and brought to America against their will. They will forced into and held as slaves for nearly 300 years. Let me repeat....nearly 300 years.
After the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 these slaves were "freed" with no "Marshall Plan" or any organized plan for their post-slavery survival or general well being. Whites hastily imposed new state laws which mandated racial segregation in every walk of life which barred the newly freed slaves from housing, education, politics, the right to vote or own property and every aspect of trade and commerce.
These cruel and unjust laws remained in force for another 100 years until Congress passed the Civil Right Acts of 1965,1966 and subsequent Amendments which effectively ended state mandated segregation.
These state laws mandating racial segregation were written and passed specifically to bar blacks and give whites a monopoly in politics, economics, trade and commerce.
The Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 provides: "Every person who shall monopolize, or attempt to monopolize, or combine or conspire with any other person or persons, to monopolize any part of the trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations, shall be deemed guilty of a felony [. . . ]"
The Clayton Act (1914) extended the right to sue under the antitrust laws to "any person who shall be injured in his business or property by reason of anything forbidden in the antitrust laws.". Under the Clayton Act, private parties may sue in U.S. district court and should they prevail, they may be awarded treble damages and the cost of suit, including reasonable attorney's fees.
Lets see now, you do the math Mr. D’Souza. Slavery lasted for nearly 300 years. Then state-sponsored segregation lasted another 100 years. Therefore if we’re accorded justice under the treble damages clause of the Clayton Act, we have another 1,150 years before we can even think about ending Affirmative Action . Sorry D’Souza, as usual you’re way off base again. Don’t you ever think through these things before you open you mouth?
Will at 1:37AM on Mar 11th 2008
124. Let each person stand on their own merits. True equality means being equal to the task.
A pass or exception is not a favor it is demeaning. It is insinuating; you're not necessarily as good, but after all what can be expected; Your black, Hispanic, a woman .... you are hadicapped or in some way dimished so we'll give you a pass.
How is that right. How is it right that a person who is more qualifed is shunned and told; Sorry we have a quota and that dictates that mediocrity superceeds excellence?
I am a woman who graduated as an engineer with a 9.7 GPA in the 60's, before affirmative action or woman's lib. You did it because you had to be better than just good, and because you wanted it that much. It wasn't easy but it was worth it.
From that you learn more than subject matter you learn perserverence.
J Emily at 1:14AM on Mar 11th 2008
125. Bridget, nobody descended from "Noah". We all descended from hominids originating in East Africa. Ergo, we are all cousins.
Linda at 1:18AM on Mar 11th 2008
126. BARRACK HUSSEIN OBAMA IS THE ONE HAS PROBLEM WITH THE COLOR. HE SAID THAT HE IS REUNITING THE BLACKS, AND WHITES, BUT WHAT HE IS DOING IS SEPARATING US. ALL THE NEGRES VOTE ONLY FOR HIM, AND NOT FOR THE WHITE OPONENT, THAT IS RACIST, WHAT ABOUT THE WHITES WHO VOTE FOR HIM? WHO HAS MORE RACIST? NEGRES OR WHITES?
DD. at 1:34AM on Mar 11th 2008
127. J. Emily, you say, "Let each person stand on their own merits."
Sounds great... how's that going to work out in the real world though? e.g. would a kid's alcoholic father or drug-infested neighborhood be classed as a negative 'merit' then?
e.g. Should a child brought up by well-educated parents be thought of as smarter because daddy taught his baby, say, some calculus and how to pass I.Q. tests and his mommy taught her baby some Spanish(or vise versa)?
not-pboyfloyd at 1:33AM on Mar 11th 2008
128. Linda.. Bridget can't help it, she was taught that she can accept existence-based reality or reject it at will.
not-pboyfloyd at 1:36AM on Mar 11th 2008
129. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION WILL CAUSE THE USA TO STAND ALONGSIDE EGYPT, GREECE AND ROME IN THE "VALHALLA" OF FAILED CIVILIZATIONS. BUT WE CAN STILL SAY WE ARE "N0.1" BECAUSE WE GOT THERE THE FASTEST.
Strong at 2:06AM on Mar 11th 2008
130. This is my 3rd try to get this damn thing posted.
e.g. Should a child brought up by well-educated parents be thought of as smarter because daddy taught his baby, say, some calculus and how to pass I.Q. tests and his mommy taught her baby some Spanish(or vise versa)?
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Not all kids from well to do educated parents take the advantage of birth. Not all getto and poor kids
become disadvantaged adults. In my later years I became a math teacher.
There are programs, scholarships and government loans.
It is perserverence not excuses that result in personal success.
Our educational system is in a vortex the the system is run by inept molly coddeling dolts. The parents in too may cases are self absorbed system cruchers. And the teachers are caught up in either baby sitting or are products of the (how does that make you feel BS program) Teachers can not teach the disiplines without disipline in the class room. Disipline begins in the home and parents are the first teachers of children. If they won't take responsibility how do they teach their children what it means? Both the privledged and the welfare mentality suffer from this syndrome.
If the government can't pay for what they mandate then they need to keep their GD nose out of it.
As I said before this illegal benefit crapola is having a very negative impact as is all this over diganosed labeling of SPEDS ADD ADHD EH Autism ..... Oh some of it's real but it is a new age malady as well. Ok I'm off the soap box.
J Emily at 2:35AM on Mar 11th 2008
131. Will I did the Math a total of 400 years.
Lets see in 1620 the puritans came here to escape religious persecution 388 yrs. I don't remember any slaves on that boat.
in 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed making us a soverign contry, 232 yrs ago. So what date are you going by?
And where does 1050 come from?
That said There are no slaves there are no slave owners they are all quite dead.
The majority of Americans even back when did not own slaves The majority of Americans are not decendents of slave owners. Most of the immigrants came after the Civil war 1880- 1910.
That said even the decendents of slave owners don't owe the decendents of slaves a damn thing.
Enough with the guilt card. i for one am not Catolic and it's not a trip I'm taking. Get over this vendetta mentality it's a poor substitute for free thinking for a free people, we are Americans.
Enough with the hyphenations it only separates US.
J.E. Hyatt at 2:53AM on Mar 11th 2008
132. I'M A WHITE WOMAN.. FROM CALIFORNIA AND I HAVE
ALREADY VOTED.FOR OBAMA.
GOD HELP US IF BILL AND HILLARY CLINTON END UP
IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I FELT THAT
I TRULY WANTED A CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT .. SO I
DID WHAT OTHER HAVE DONE ALREADY.. DONATED MY
HARD EARNED $$ FOR A CHANCE FOR A CHANGE IN THIS COUNTRY. GOD BLESS US ALL.
MOST SINCERELY,
TIFFERSFELLA
Tiffany at 3:41AM on Mar 11th 2008
133. I'M A WHITE WOMAN.. FROM CALIFORNIA AND I HAVE
ALREADY VOTED.FOR OBAMA.
GOD HELP US IF BILL AND HILLARY CLINTON END UP
IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I FELT THAT
I TRULY WANTED A CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT .. SO I
DID WHAT OTHER HAVE DONE ALREADY.. DONATED MY
HARD EARNED $$ FOR A CHANCE FOR A CHANGE IN THIS COUNTRY. GOD BLESS US ALL.
MOST SINCERELY,
TIFFERSFELLA
Tiffany at 3:41AM on Mar 11th 2008
134. No. No, Obama does not have the guts.
Joseph at 7:59AM on Mar 11th 2008
135. 125. BARRACK HUSSEIN OBAMA IS THE ONE HAS PROBLEM WITH THE COLOR. HE SAID THAT HE IS REUNITING THE BLACKS, AND WHITES, BUT WHAT HE IS DOING IS SEPARATING US. ALL THE NEGRES VOTE ONLY FOR HIM, AND NOT FOR THE WHITE OPONENT, THAT IS RACIST, WHAT ABOUT THE WHITES WHO VOTE FOR HIM? WHO HAS MORE RACIST? NEGRES OR WHITES?
DD. at 1:34AM on Mar 11th 2008
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Uh, I'd say that whatever color you are is the most racist.
Godless Heathen Brian at 10:22AM on Mar 11th 2008