The hidden Racism of the Far-Left

Originally posted by americandingbat

Perhaps where we differ is that I don't think that all oppression stems from governmental policy, I think that social factors like lack of access to affordable, high-quality primary education is also oppressive.

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Some see it as oppressive, some as a challenge to tacke.

reply to post by dolphinfan



So if we got rid of affirmative action then what would happen? You have not spoken with some of the old black people. Not the foot shuffling dimwits of 1950s Hollywood but black professionals who can remember the early years of AA. The black achievers you mention would not have got their jobs without the framework of affirmative action to temper racism. Check out some of the posts on ATS to see whether racism exists!

I have failed a job interview because I did not trot out the party line. I said that your characters should tell us that racism in hiring is wrong. Guess what I then heard that the organisation would not have been right for my from some friends.

I don't think that we have got beyond the need for affirmative action.

reply to post by tiger5


What would happen if we were to get rid of affirmative action? Everyone would know that individuals were in schools and jobs based on their ability and merit. You would not have the subtle racism that is caused by affirmative action where the abilities of a minority were not up to par because they were given a hand-up.

We would get rid of the gender norming with respect to the physican requirements of a job that degrade the effectiveness and productivity of certain professions.

Where do we really have affirmative action today anyway? It has been ruled illegal to use race as a basis of admission to university or graduate school in an overt way. It is still done covertly of course, but not overtly. You have the use of affirmative action with respect to civil service and government employment and contracting. Thats right. Pretty much the only place you have racial and gender set-asides is the government. The government "of the people, for the people" is the only place where people are treated unequally.

What would happen if we got rid of affirmative action? Nothing other than the fact that race relations would improve.

As far as the "old black folks" go, I have no doubt that there was serious racism that needed to be countered and that at a time in our history, affirmative action was needed. It is not needed today.

Originally posted by dolphinfan
What would happen if we were to get rid of affirmative action? Everyone would know that individuals were in schools and jobs based on their ability and merit.

I don't know about anybody else, but I've never looked at an individual and just assumed that they were not hired or in school based on their ability and merit. Is that what you do? You see a minority and you immediately think Affirmative Action? You assume white is preferred and black... well... That's probably affirmative action? That's F'ed up.

Here's the flip side... how about the white employee who is less qualified than a minority, but the white guy gets the job simply because he is white? You don't think that happens all the time with or without Affirmative Action?

I always assume a person has a job because of their ability and merit. What kind of employer would toss qualifications and expectations out the window just because of Affirmative Action...

reply to post by spiritualzombie


What you think is immaterial. When scores are normed for any reason, by definition more qualified candidates are excluded.

I think it's funny that this thread focuses on FAR LEFT racism and the best example they can come up with is Affirmative Action-- which is all about anti-discrimination.

Of course... One could flip it and say that being against Affirmative Action is less-hidden racism... and that argument might even require less spin to make it sound intelligent, but I won't go there...

reply to post by spiritualzombie


Affirmative action is certainly not "far left" racism, but rather middle of the road racism.

Spend a bit of time reading up on Mao, Stalin and Pot to get a flavor of how the far left deals with race relations.

I make a thread standing up for the dignity and self-worth of black people, and the leftists come in here calling me a "racist". Truly amazing how dumbed down people have become.

reply to post by Skyfloating


LOL! Wow, I just checked back in on this thread and your right. I am amazed at how blinded some of you are by your political affiliation. This is not a left vs. right issue, this is an issue about the reality of circumstances which have helped in the further oppression of Black people. It takes a strong, brave and wise man to stand up and say unpopular things in the face of adversity, and so to you Skyfloating I give my thanks. An intelligent, loyal man will stand up and defend his people no matter the issue at hand, but a truly brave, wise and honest man will not only be able to do this but also be able to constructively criticize his people when it is the right thing to do!

ps. Republicans are not the 'good guys' in this debate, don't confuse this, people!

Affirmative action started out as a policy to make sure that steps were taken to include everyone in purchasing and/or hiring decisions. As such, there were no quotas etc.

This didn't work. Not enough jobs and/or business went to underrepresented minorities. Personally, I do think that all government jobs and/or purchasing should be inclusive but should go the the best qualified person or best bid for a purchase.

However, somewhere along the line, quotas came into being. If you we're bidding on building something for the government, you had to have a certain percentage of your work/workers minorities. I know one Latino woman who started a multimillion dollar business selling pipe (drainage, sewer, etc.) to big contractors. She fit into either box as necessary. Her bids might have been a little higher than others but the big contractors could say they were buying from a minority or a woman.

I don't understand why this is fair to companies that are owned by white males.

This thread seems highly speculative. I don't see any evidence to back up the OP claim.

reply to post by Skyfloating

America is one of the least racist countries in the world.

Ehh, I wouldn't exactly say that. You speak as if racism is like some long lost phenomenon that hasn't been spotted in centuries or something. I'd say that racism in america is still very prevalent having experienced it. Racism may have diminished but it isn't gone, just evolved and made much more covert. That is not to say that I don't agree with your OP but racism hasn't left us. It just likes to keep a low profile nowadays.