Affirmative Action was never a monolithic program. There really isn't a way it was "supposed to work". It kind of built up over time as various laws, court rulings and grass roots attempts were made to solve a perceived problem.
Unfortunately, the most common form, still prevalent today, is quotas. Quotas are crude and should be considered only as a last resort. They should be held back as the big stick when everything else has been tried and failed. The real problem of Affirmative Action, in any form, is that those who implement it and those who administer it really have no idea what they are trying to solve with it. If any program could explain the problem they see, the steps they are taking to address it, and the criteria they use to tests whether the problem has been solved (and therefore when they can stop), I think most people would get right on board. They might not agree with the analysis, but would respect the fact that it exists. How does a workforce that is 14% black, 22% Hispanic, 11% Asian etc. solve anything? Should the percentages reflect the makeup of the town in which it resides, the state, or the country as a whole? If town based, should you include surrounding towns, since very few people at any company live in a single town. How does telling a fire company that the next worker they hire must be black save lives? On a personal note, every time I have been edged out for a job, a girl, a spot on a team or a competition, I have been beaten on the merits. Except once, when I was cut from the baseball team because another kid's father was "important". I like that. I love to be whooped by someone better than me. If they are a perceived minority, I know they might have had to overcome something I didn't. Short/tall , fat/skinny, black/white, left-handed/right-handed, too slow, "too weak". Overcoming adversity and triumphing anyway is so awesome, it is truly a shame to deny someone the right to excel on their own merits. Which brings me back to a simple, trite statement that sums it all up for me. Provide a hand up, not a handout. Jerry Johnson Web Developer Dolan Media Company >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 01/26/05 03:36PM >>> > Jerry wrote: > When this is true, it makes AA useful. But as with any concept or program, it > is often flawed in its implementation. > You're right - a lot of times the implementation is wrong, but you can't be a Doctor without an MD or sign off a drawing without a PE. Also most states require a JD before you can take the BAR correct? Anyway, I think the point of AA was to pick the minority given 2 equal candidates. If they're not equal then pick the most qualified. That was how it was supposed to work. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Find out how CFTicket can increase your company's customer support efficiency by 100% http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=49 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:144671 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
