Ranting Lunatic

[jackofallgeeks]

Hmmm, yes, I fear this post.

You see, I have something to say. A point to make if you will. Most unfortunately, i'm afraid few here would agree with me. No, I seek not agreement. I fear many here would be offended. I don't mean to offend, it's not my intent, and as such it's aggrivating when someone takes personally what I mean generally.

This being my journal, I truely see no reason NOT to post what I want. I would like to hear input from all of you. But I would ask that if you're going to take this personally, if you're going to get mad at me for what I say, then please don't continue. I don't mean to anger or attack anyone, I simply wish to speak my mind.


The Ruling Minority

I don't have anything against minorities. Whatever makes them minorities - gender, race, sexual orientation, what have you - they're still people, just like everyone else. It's the 'just like anyone else', I think, that provokes this line of thought. As people, yes, they are entitled to the same rights as anyone else, and while I recognize that such laws and ordinences were established to secure the basic rights of minorities, I don't think that there should be special rules for Minority Rights.

Now then, before we go any further, I suppose one might wish to examine the Author. I mean, look at him - he's white, male, Catholic, Upper-middle class - you couldn't ask for a better example of the US Majority, could you? There's not a single minority he can claim sympathy for. I disagree, for you see, I'm a Lefty. You laugh, I'm sure, but have you ever taken time to think about it? The world is against us - can't use can openers, or scissors, or a number of different mechanisms which are specifically geared towards the Right Majority. Again, I'm sure you laugh, but we don't get any special consideration. That's not the point, though.

Minority Rights, I think, hold a double standard. Everyone's equal, but since these people are different in these specified ways, they get special privleges. And it is special privleges - Affirmative Action, for example, impedes healthy competition. Yes, it's wrong for a company to not hire minorities, and schools to not accept minorities, but it's wrong to MAKE them, under threat of legal punishment. This follows my belief that you can't control society through laws - you can't enforce a morality on people through legislation. You can't MAKE people do the right thing.

But, further than that, why should someone get something extra just because there are fewwer people like them? Really, where's the sense? Doe's Majority not mean anything anymore?

Minority Rights also have a disgusting potential for abuse. A poor store clerk is trying to keep up with the customers, misses one who just happens to be black, and all of a sudden some one screams racism. It's not as far fetched as you might think. Another point about Minority Rights is they don't encourage unity, but perpetuate the sepparation that already exists.

I fear I can't adequetly express myself. It's frustrating, because as I don't intend to offend someone, I fear that's exactly what I'm about to do by hitting 'post'. I feel I push people away enough as it is, without then believing that I intend to attack them.
I don't. Really. But what more can I say?

Comments

Now, you may want to be seated before you read this...

[surichan.livejournal.com]

...but I actually agree with you on this one. Affirmative Action is one of the WORST things ever to come about. It in itself is discrimination, in that a person of one race/sex can get a job and another can't. In fact, it's REVERSE discrimination, giving jobs, scholarships, positions, etc. to someone who may be less qualified simply on basis of race or sex. Now, if someone in a minority group IS better-qualified than the white male also vying for the job, then by all means, they should get it. But you're absolutely right - you cannot legislate morality. It crosses too many lines and brings up far too many difficulties.

So rest easy, Andrew - you haven't offended me on this one. In fact, I applaud you.

EXACTLY!

[jackofallgeeks.livejournal.com]

That's my point! Most ever single attempt to secure Minority Rights, in any way and for whatever reason, seems to me to ALWAYS digress into reverse descrimination, because that's what it is. If there's a job opening, it's descriminatory NOT to take the more qualified individual, regardless of minority or majority status.

And yes, you may agree with me here.
My second point I never touched. It was on a specific minority - the gay minority. I have nothing against the gay community - some of my closest friends are gay (and it sucks, cause they're all cute ><*). I don't know that I could adequetly express myself, and I fear it's too touchy a sybject considering the company I keep. I will not that I find it irksome when one gets excited by finding a celebrity (or anyone for that mater) is gay. No one would care that an actor was straight, but it draws excitement when one claims the alternative. It's the same double standard, and it's almost an attack on the straight people. I'll admit to a certain loyalty towards my fellow lefties, and I'll be the first to tell you that Kermit the Frog is One Of Us (watch him play banjo), but really... ><* Like I said, I can't adequetly express myself.

Re: EXACTLY!

[serenabuny.livejournal.com]

You know not only is that reverse discriminatin, but minorities are often more "racist, whatever" than the majority. Take for instance that black lady who slapped me at wok because I was "a racist bitch" because I wasn't serving her fast enough and obviously the white family who had been there before her were never there before she got there(rolls eyes)...

[rundancefreak.livejournal.com]

YES! YES! that's it exactly! doesnt everyone see? I did my whole persuasion speech in performing arts last year on affirmative action, because it's wrong! i'm not going to repeat things everyone elses has said alreayfd but also, if a qualified minrity gets a job many people will think they only got that job because of their race/gender etc.

and what about all this Black Entertainment Network stuff? isnt that just making the gap wider? i mean, here in cincinnati, people never shut up about racism. with the riots last year and all...just because a police officer who happens to be white kills a criminal who happens to be black by accident suddenly the whole cincinnati police dept is racist?! i think not, and then people acting out against it only make it wortse...we have boycotts, and the NAACP isnt helping make things better either.

i could go on for hours, really, i could! but i'll get off my park bench now...

One more to the tally...

[starlight1184.livejournal.com]

I also agree. I believe that at one point in our nations history, both affirmative action for minorities and for women were needed because of the state that we were in. There was no way for them to get off their feet without legal protection. HOWEVER.... We now are in the year 2002. I certainly hope that we are all grown up enough to accept that, no matter gender, sexual preference, or race... someone else just might get the job because he is simply better qualified! What a concept, eh? Something that I like to use when talking about this issue... I like the show West Wing. It is very good. Last season, they had the character Ainsley Hayes, a female in the presidents staff. She and Sam are having an arguement over the 14th Ammendment (equal rights for women). He's confused why she's against it, and she says:
"Because it's humiliating. A new amendment we vote on declaring that I am equal under the law to a man? I'm mortified to discover there's reason to believe I wasn't before. I'm a citizen of this country. I'm not a special subset in need of your protection. I do not have to have my rights handed down to me by a bunch of old white men. The same Article 14 that protects you protects me. And I went to law school just to make sure."

So... I thought I'd add a nice little side story to support what everyone has been saying. :-) We're all equal... why do we need special certificates that say "you're equal to this person, but you need special protection, because you're not quite as equal." It boggles my mind.

Re: One more to the tally...

[jackofallgeeks.livejournal.com]

'Grown Up Enough' is a funny way of putting it. I assure you, we're no older than people our age were back then. Nor do I think we're more revolutionary thinkers. People are people - always have been and always will be.

One thing I don't get is why more people don't think like that Ainsley girl. She makes very good points in that it's true - such laws are ridiculous, and really only serve to drive people apart. Sometimes, people just don't make sense.

Why keep tabs anyways?

[bsgnome.livejournal.com]

One thing I don't understand is why tabs are still kept on minorities.

I was reading this article one day, talking about how this one goobernatorial candidate wanted to turn the community into a "colorblind community," meaning they would stop putting "Race" in the censi.

I naturally thought this to be a good idea, and was under the impression that everyone would go for it. But, lo and behold, a person rights in the next day with some nonsense about how if tabs aren't kept on the minority population, then they would be discriminated.

I was like "WHAT!! That makes no sense!" in my opinion keeping tabs on them in the first place is discrimination. How can discrimination prevent discrimination. These people must have been brainwashed.

The Tab's On Me

[jackofallgeeks.livejournal.com]

Keeping tabs on someone almost makes them seem like a toddler. Or a dog. You need to watch them to make sure they don't break anything.

Generally, I like to think I'm an idealist. If things aren't perfect now, that's not the point - it's that they COULD be. But, in the case, I would just note that I think people, generally, are stupid. Oh, yes, individuals are intelligent, but if you get any mass of them together, the collective IQ drops dramatically. The proof is right in front of us - discriminating laws and practices that the discriminated fight to uphold. That and the discriminated becomming the discriminators for the sake of equality.

I would like to say that, so far, these replys have not only eased my fears, but given me hope for the future. The Powers That Be woin't always be around - or rather, we will one day be said powers. Maybe if enough of us realize the isensibility of these things, it'll be different.