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.

[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.

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.