for pete's sake -- these were "entry level" jobs ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Atherton" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'Minneapolis Issues'" <mpls@mnforum.org> Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 10:46 PM Subject: RE: [Mpls] Employment and Race Correction
> > Andy Driscoll wrote: > > > If the results of this testing are as Dane related them, I, > > for one, have no reason to believe otherwise, these are clear > > cases of employment discrimination and subject to legal action. > > This is not a study, or a survey or a poll< it's a testing, > > something civil rights monitors in the Twin Cities as well > > as Milwaukee and other urban centers do all the time (and > > have done for 50 years) because it's often the only way to identify > > companies (as with realtors and landlords in the housing > > arena) willing to weed out potential employees based on their color. > > If the Black applicants all fail to communicate in standard > English and instead use slang, then the differences in > hiring rates are not discriminatory based on race (as long > as the jobs require communication skills). Percentage > differences do not constitute legal discrimination in and of > themselves. I don't believe that anyone has shown that > all factors other than race were accounted for and I'm still > waiting for the origional reference for this "testing." > > > And that's the point: that people who care about these > > issues will test the marketplace for sign of racial > > discrimination in violation of local and state human right > > laws in preparation for official complaints and, if > > necessary, punishment. The ultimate goal is to change behaviors > > or be penalized for breaking the law. Changing hiring practices to > > make them more color-blind (or gender-blind, etc.) is the ultimate > > goal because what we really want are jobs for traditionally excluded > > peoples based on everything but their qualifications to do the work > > required. > > This is old regressive rhetoric that focuses only on the > employers. We haven't been provided with enough information > to determine whether the differences in hiring rates are due > to the skill sets of the applicants or the discriminatory > behavior of the employers. I'm perfectly willing to accept > that the actions of the employers are discriminatory, if more > evidence is forthcoming. > > > If the results of this testing are as Dane related them, I, > > for one, have no reason to believe otherwise..." > > If you want to think critically about this issue then you > will have a reason to consider alternative explanations and > seek more complete data. If on the other hand, you are only > interested in confirming your own prejudices, then you > indeed have "no reason to believe otherwise." > > Michael Atherton > Prospect Park > > > > > > REMINDERS: > 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. > > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html > For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls > REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
