KerikBalm Posted February 14, 2016 Share Posted February 14, 2016 I was looking at a certain government job posting yesterday, and they made it clear that they practice affirmative action and the application asked one to "check all that apply" on a question about race (with decline to state as an option. The problem as I see it is ... what are the criteria that apply here? On the one hand, we have people that "self identify" as a race which they are not genetically... ie: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Dolezal "In June 2015, Dolezal came to media attention when her white parents stated publicly that Dolezal is a white woman passing as black. Their statement followed Dolezal's reports to police and local news media that she had been the victim of nine hate crimes. Dolezal's critics contend that she has committed cultural appropriation and fraud; Dolezal contends her racial identity is genuine while not based on biology or ancestry. In a November 2015 television interview, Dolezal publicly stated for the first time since the controversy began that she was born white" Dolezal's arguments are very similar to the arguments of trans people, who wish to be treated as a gender other than their biological gender. Given the boundaries between races are much more blurry and the differences much smaller... if it works (in society) for gender, why not race? On the other hand, we have people that are biologically part of a race, but they are not treated as such, and often don't apper to identify as such. For example.. take just about any person born to a "black" parent and a white parent. They are pretty much always considered to be black, not white. Its like this even if they are 1/4 black, 3/4 white... My great grandfather was mixed race and fairly light skinned. Nonetheless, he was considered black and was forbidden from marrying my great grandmother by my great grandmother's father - who apparently recanted on his deathbed- at least as the story goes in the family at least. My uncle recently took a genetic test, and it said he was approxiamtely 6% of African descent. That would be compatible with the family story if my great-grandfather was 1/4 black (25%). Thus my grandfather is 12.5% black (1/8th), my mother and uncles are 6.25% black, and I am 3.125% black... If you look at myself or my mom and her brothers... you'd never guess we were of anything other than European descent.... at 93.75% white for my mom and her brothers, and 96.875% for myself. I don't "feel black", I don't encounter any problems with racial discrimination or anything of that sort that often affects african americans... but the genetics/ancestry is there So my question is... do I check "African american" to try and improve my chances with an employer that practices affirmative action... given outwardly I white as heck, by percentages I'm 30x more "white" than "black", and I don't identify with stereotypicaly "black" culture? 3 > 0 after all... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zapy97 Posted February 14, 2016 Share Posted February 14, 2016 (edited) I am just of the opinion that we should ignore race all together, and every one ignores race. I think that is what would truly be best for society to do. Edit: I think it is very unfair allow affirmative action, I believe people should be treated as equals. I am an individualist I think people are capable of doing anything they truly put their mind to. I myself am a quarter native American, does it make me better or worse than anyone else? No it doesn't, it just means I get really tan when I spend time in the sun. Edited February 15, 2016 by zapy97 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloodDusk Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 The ladder is so farfetched nowadays that people from different races are fighting for things that people from the exact same race were against 50 years ago. It seems that we're going backwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaarst Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 inb4 lock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camacha Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 (edited) Affirmative racism is racism too. Making (almost) any decision based on race is racism. Saying you like someone more because he is white/black/whatever is no different from saying you dislike someone for the same reason. The fact that this is actually government policy is pretty worrying, though I view it as a phase. First racism one way, then racism the other way, and so fort. This pendulum will swing back and forth a couple of times before finally coming to a halt in a reasonable place. 2 minutes ago, Gaarst said: inb4 lock If you cannot add anything of value, you might consider not adding anything at all. Edited February 15, 2016 by Camacha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Phil Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 Well, if you want to be technical, everyone is of African decent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Iron Crown Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 Sorry folks, this sort of political discussion only leads to arguments. Closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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