[Vision2020] Isn't This Racist?

[Donovan Arnold]

Dale,

Isn't sad to you that minorities best and often "only" chance in this 
country is to volunteer for a job that puts their life on the line?

It really scares me that someone who reached the rank of Lt. CMR in the US 
Navy can't even find simple facts on a google search.

It also scares me that you were at one time outranking people who's 
nationality you can't even identify.

It also scares me that an officer would use, "People will behave in their 
own self interest by weighing the benefits and
>costs to them of various courses of action, choosing the course that
>maximizes their individual  satisfaction." a utilitarian theory that is 
>long outdated and subjects human being to mere selfish objects that put no 
>value on other things or other people.

My Father was a full CMD-O5 in the US Navy and did not join the Navy because 
it was his "best" option. He joined the navy because he wanted to serve his 
country and work on planes, helicopters and electronics.

He could have amde much more money and "maximized his interests" by working 
for General Dynamics as a private contractor rather then taking 1/3 the paid 
he did being the Western Regional Manager of the Tomahawk cruise missile and 
working for the Navy. He could have made more not turning down a Captain's 
Commission and staying on a Ship.

It really is degrading to my father and others who give up higher paying 
jobs where they would be better off to serve others to quote such an 
archaic, disproved theory of philosophy.

I challenge you to find one other person alive today with a PhD that 
believes in the theory of Utilitarism, but I will not hold my breath?

Donovan Arnold






>From: "Dale Courtney" <dale@courtneys.us>
>To: <vision2020@moscow.com>
>Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Isn't This Racist?
>Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2003 18:18:34 -0700
>
> > Many minorities enter military jobs because it is often the
> > best choice they
> > have.
>
>Holy Cow! Let's put *that* one to the logic test: doesn't *everyone* enter
>into a job that is the best choice that they have?
>
>People will behave in their own self interest by weighing the benefits and
>costs to them of various courses of action, choosing the course that
>maximizes their individual  satisfaction.
>
>Also, there's an underlying assumption that entering into the military is
>the *worse* possible choice for minorities (or anyone else). But the
>military has often been the *best* choice for both ethnic minorities and 
>the
>economically oppressed.
>
> > Hispanics and African Americans make up nearly twice the
> > population of the
> > military as they do the general population.
>
>First, I would like to see you support this assertion with facts.
>
>Second, the force of your argument would make sense if there were a draft
>and the military were targeting minorities. But in an all volunteer force,
>it is irrelevant. Everyone who chooses to go into the military of his own
>free will does so because it is his best opportunity. Any other choice 
>would
>make him worse off.
>
>Scratching his head,
>
>Dale Courtney
>LCDR, USN (Ret)
>
>
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