[Vision2020] Affirmative Action

[Don Kaag]

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Rosemary:

A)  I am not a "conservative Republican.  My beliefs are all over the=20
place.  I am conservative in some views, and very liberal in others.  I=20=

have never voted a straight ticket in my life.  I pay attention to=20
issues and candidates, and vote my conscience, not straight party line.

B)  =46rom what you have written, you tend to deal with people, and=20
theorize about them, in groups.  My tendency is to deal with people as=20=

individuals.  I frankly don't care what someone's ethnicity, skin=20
color, religion, sexual persuasion, etc. are... what I am interested in=20=

is their intellect, their character, their actions, and how they relate=20=

to me as an individual.  There are people I like, and who like me, and=20=

people I dislike, or who dislike me, but it has nothing to do with=20
color.

C)  If color is such an insurmountable barrier, one that must at all=20
costs be made allowance for, explain Asians for me.  No one on the West=20=

Coast of this country has experienced the kind of prejudice that=20
yellow-skinned people have.  The Chinese Exclusion Act and T.R.'s=20
"Gentlemen's Agreement" halting Japanese immigration in the early=20
1900's come to mind, not to mention internment of Nisei during WWII.  =20=

And yet Asian students achieve high GPA's in the same California=20
schools that African Americans and Chicanos fail in and drop out of,=20
and go on to graduate with honors in great numbers from the university=20=

system.  Why is that?  Are Asians smarter than African Americans or=20
Chicanos?  If not, then what is the answer, and why are Asians, a=20
numerically smaller minority as a percentage of the population, not=20
granted affirmative action assistance?

Regards,

Don Kaag


On Wednesday, February 19, 2003, at 11:38 AM, DonaldH675@aol.com wrote:

> Don and Visionaries,
>
> There is no doubt that Gen. Thomas served his country with courage and=20=

> distinction during the Civil War.=A0 I suppose that we can also agree=20=

> that given Gen. Thomas' personal proclivities, the destruction of=20
> slavery was probably not the motivating factor in his service to the=20=

> Union.=A0 It was, rather, just one of the happy and unintended =
results.
>
> It is important to note that merit and affirmative action are not=20
> mutually exclusive,=A0 despite conservative efforts to always link the=20=

> two.=A0 However, for merit/promotion/opportunity to operate equitably,=20=

> we must all begin on a level playing field.=A0 Surely, Don, you would=20=

> not claim that this is the current situation in the United States - or=20=

> for that matter, anywhere else in the world.=A0 If one is born into a=20=

> poor family, regardless of racial identification, one is less likely=20=

> to be "successful" than if one is born into a middle-class or wealthy=20=

> family.=A0 If one is guaranteed entrance to a prestigious college, say=20=

> Yale, because one's father is an alumni (re: the world's most famous=20=

> C-student, George W. Bush, who was admitted to Yale as a "legacy"=20
> student), certain social and political advantages are automatically=20
> bestowed.=A0 These are quite distinct from those achieved by personal=20=

> effort.=A0 I would argue that, generally speaking, the recipients of=20=

> such benefits do not recognize, much less acknowledge, the unwarranted=20=

> rewards of having the "right" birth parents.=A0 (As Ann Richards once=20=

> observed, George Bush was born on third base and thought he hit a=20
> triple.)=A0
>
> So, why is it that those of us who have inherited the skin color of=20
> the most powerful ethnic group in this country fail to recognize that=20=

> race is just another lucky break?=A0 And, more offensively, why are=20
> white people so eager to claim personal participation and insight in=20=

> the area of racial equality?=A0 How would we know?=A0 Where and how =
have=20
> we experienced historic, pervasive, and continuing cultural barriers=20=

> operating against our whiteness?=A0 Where's the appalling shortage of=20=

> white CEOs, Supreme Court justices, members of congress, doctors,=20
> lawyers, college faculty, etc., etc.?=A0 Consider how often you or I =
or=20
> George Bush bother to reflect on the bleak situation and lack of=20
> opportunities available to poor white youngsters growing up in=20
> Appalachian coal mining towns.=A0 How much less often, then, do we =
think=20
> of the prospects for African American children growing up in inner=20
> city ghettos?=A0 While some of us enjoy the privilege of money, famous=20=

> family connections, and entrance to all the right colleges and all the=20=

> right clubs, many others have to struggle by on food stamps without=20
> adequate housing, education, or health care.
> =A0
> I restate again that it is my profound belief that those of us who=20
> have enjoyed the greatest measure of unmerited privilege are the very=20=

> ones who complain most bitterly about the opportunities that=20
> affirmative action legislation offers to those outside our=20
> racial/socioeconomic/gender group. And, if you don't agree that being=20=

> born white, middle-class, able-bodied, and male are all unmerited=20
> privileges with inherent cultural and economic rewards, then I hope to=20=

> hell there is reincarnation.=A0 Perhaps in your next life, you'll be=20=

> poor, black, disabled and female--and living in a conservative=20
> Republican paradise where those at the top believe all it takes to=20
> succeed is willpower and elbow grease.=A0
>
> Maybe that's why Colin Powell supports affirmative action.=A0 In a =
just,=20
> merit-based=A0 world, George W. would be working for him, not vice > =
versa.
>
> Regards,
> Rosemary Huskey
>
>
>
>

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Rosemary:


A)  I am not a "conservative Republican.  My beliefs are all over the
place.  I am conservative in some views, and very liberal in others.=20
I have never voted a straight ticket in my life.  I pay attention to
issues and candidates, and vote my conscience, not straight party line.


B)  =46rom what you have written, you tend to deal with people, and
theorize about them, in groups.  My tendency is to deal with people as
individuals.  I frankly don't care what someone's ethnicity, skin
color, religion, sexual persuasion, etc. are... what I am interested
in is their intellect, their character, their actions, and how they
relate to me as an individual.  There are people I like, and who like
me, and people I dislike, or who dislike me, but it has nothing to do
with color.


C)  If color is such an insurmountable barrier, one that must at all
costs be made allowance for, explain Asians for me.  No one on the
West Coast of this country has experienced the kind of prejudice that
yellow-skinned people have.  The Chinese Exclusion Act and T.R.'s
"Gentlemen's Agreement" halting Japanese immigration in the early
1900's come to mind, not to mention internment of Nisei during WWII. =20
And yet Asian students achieve high GPA's in the same California
schools that African Americans and Chicanos fail in and drop out of,
and go on to graduate with honors in great numbers from the university
system.  Why is that?  Are Asians smarter than African Americans or
Chicanos?  If not, then what is the answer, and why are Asians, a
numerically smaller minority as a percentage of the population, not
granted affirmative action assistance?


Regards,


Don Kaag



On Wednesday, February 19, 2003, at 11:38 AM, DonaldH675@aol.com wrote:


<excerpt><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller>Don and Visionaries,


There is no doubt that Gen. Thomas served his country with courage and
distinction during the Civil War.=A0 I suppose that we can also agree
that given Gen. Thomas' personal proclivities, the destruction of
slavery was probably not the motivating factor in his service to the
Union.=A0 It was, rather, just one of the happy and unintended results.


It is important to note that merit and affirmative action are not
mutually exclusive,=A0 despite conservative efforts to always link the
two.=A0 However, for merit/promotion/opportunity to operate equitably,
we must all begin on a level playing field.=A0 Surely, Don, you would
not claim that this is the current situation in the United States - or
for that matter, anywhere else in the world.=A0 If one is born into a
poor family, regardless of racial identification, one is less likely
to be "successful" than if one is born into a middle-class or wealthy
family.=A0 If one is guaranteed entrance to a prestigious college, say
Yale, because one's father is an alumni (re: the world's most famous
C-student, George W. Bush, who was admitted to Yale as a "legacy"
student), certain social and political advantages are automatically
bestowed.=A0 These are quite distinct from those achieved by personal
effort.=A0 I would argue that, generally speaking, the recipients of
such benefits do not recognize, much less acknowledge, the unwarranted
rewards of having the "right" birth parents.=A0 (As Ann Richards once
observed, George Bush was born on third base and thought he hit a
triple.)=A0


So, why is it that those of us who have inherited the skin color of
the most powerful ethnic group in this country fail to recognize that
race is just another lucky break?=A0 And, more offensively, why are
white people so eager to claim personal participation and insight in
the area of racial equality?=A0 How would we know?=A0 Where and how have
we experienced historic, pervasive, and continuing cultural barriers
operating against our whiteness?=A0 Where's the appalling shortage of
white CEOs, Supreme Court justices, members of congress, doctors,
lawyers, college faculty, etc., etc.?=A0 Consider how often you or I or
George Bush bother to reflect on the bleak situation and lack of
opportunities available to poor white youngsters growing up in
Appalachian coal mining towns.=A0 How much less often, then, do we think
of the prospects for African American children growing up in inner
city ghettos?=A0 While some of us enjoy the privilege of money, famous
family connections, and entrance to all the right colleges and all the
right clubs, many others have to struggle by on food stamps without
adequate housing, education, or health care.

=A0

I restate again that it is my profound belief that those of us who
have enjoyed the greatest measure of unmerited privilege are the very
ones who complain most bitterly about the opportunities that
affirmative action legislation offers to those outside our
racial/socioeconomic/gender group. And, if you don't agree that being
born white, middle-class, able-bodied, and male are all unmerited
privileges with inherent cultural and economic rewards, then I hope to
hell there is reincarnation.=A0 Perhaps in your next life, you'll be
poor, black, disabled and female--and living in a conservative
Republican paradise where those at the top believe all it takes to
succeed is willpower and elbow grease.=A0


Maybe that's why Colin Powell supports affirmative action.=A0 In a just,
merit-based=A0 world, George W. would be working for him, not vice =
versa.


Regards,

Rosemary Huskey





</smaller></fontfamily></excerpt>=

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