Civil Rights for White People?

[Autumnleaf]

YouTube - Civil Rights for White People?

Are things really that bad for white people these days?

 

[PreachersWife2004]

I didn't watch the video, but that guy seems to have one big old tan line from where a beard used to be. That's rather distracting.

Things aren't necessarily bad for white folk, but they're as bad for white folk as they are for most people. The idea that these hard economic times are only hitting one particular race is rather naive.

not saying you have that attitude, mind you.

 

[Autumnleaf]

Its an interesting video. He has a perspective that seems to be unique. The scary thing is he seems to have some reasoning behind it.

 

[nolongerhome]

Its an interesting video. He has a perspective that seems to be unique. The scary thing is he seems to have some reasoning behind it.

I watched the first couple of minutes until the tan lines became too mesmerising for me to listen any more.

His perspective isn't particularly unique - plenty of people are against affirmative action policies because they can be unfairly discriminatory. I personally am uncomfortable with AA, but I think there are times when it can be legitimately used - we need to be pragmatic, we need to recognise that for specific reasons people from different backgrouds do not have the same opportunities as others and we need to create those opportunities.

"Equality of opportunity" has a tendency to become the maintenance of the status quo, because the status quo tends to perpetuate itself if we don't change it.

The first case which he mentions in the video (and the only one I heard, don't know if he brings up more) is an example of a case in which I don't think AA is appropriate - you should not hire someone that is unqualified ahead of someone that is qualified simply because of AA, that is an example of a potentially useful tool doing damage by being used in an improper context.

I also think that we need to move beyond seeing race and gender as the sole divisions within society which we would want to address when it comes to equal opportunity. A black woman who comes from a wealth family will no doubt have a better opportunity at getting a good education, and therefore getting a good job, than a white man who comes from a poor family.

So, no simple answer to this one - it can be good, it can be harmful. We need to be aware that certain backgrounds are going to inhibit opportunities and I think it is in our interests as a society to ensure that those inhibitions are as small as we can possibly make them - ideally your background, be it religion, race, wealth, gender, sexuality, or whatever else should not minimise your chances at getting ahead in life. AA is one tool that we can use, and it can be well used. It isn't a silver bullet, and it comes with its own problems, so we need to think about when and how we use it so that we don't unfairly impact on the rights of one person to raise up another.

 

[DaisyDay]

That isn't where the beard used to be, it's where the white beard still is.

The guy is David Duke, former Grand Wizard of the KKK, white supremacist.

No, things are not really that bad for white folks these days, compared to other folks.

 

[Wirraway]

I have a strong presumption that any advocacy group "for white people" isn't on the right side of anything.

 

[DaisyDay]

FWIW, his beard ranks high on the Trustworthiness of Beards scale.

 

[lawtonfogle]

That isn't where the beard used to be, it's where the white beard still is.

The guy is David Duke, former Grand Wizard of the KKK, white supremacist.

No, things are not really that bad for white folks these days, compared to other folks.

It is really far more a case by case basis. I come from a working class family and am first in my family to go to college. Perhaps I am not a minority, but I do have my own share of challenges to over come that the 'quintessential' while male does not, expect that unlike many minorities, people automatically assume I DON'T have those challenges. Perhaps I am in a minority of white males here, but the problem is that people keep telling me I'm not in the minority.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

That isn't where the beard used to be, it's where the white beard still is.

The guy is David Duke, former Grand Wizard of the KKK, white supremacist.

No, things are not really that bad for white folks these days, compared to other folks.

He really ought to do something about that. It's far too distracting.

 

[ulu]

I'd be more inclined to give credence to his views if he hadn't spent time in jail for fraud, or been in the KKK.

 

[Billnew]

I watched the first couple of minutes until the tan lines became too mesmerising for me to listen any more.

His perspective isn't particularly unique - plenty of people are against affirmative action policies because they can be unfairly discriminatory. I personally am uncomfortable with AA, but I think there are times when it can be legitimately used - we need to be pragmatic, we need to recognise that for specific reasons people from different backgrouds do not have the same opportunities as others and we need to create those opportunities.

"Equality of opportunity" has a tendency to become the maintenance of the status quo, because the status quo tends to perpetuate itself if we don't change it.

The first case which he mentions in the video (and the only one I heard, don't know if he brings up more) is an example of a case in which I don't think AA is appropriate - you should not hire someone that is unqualified ahead of someone that is qualified simply because of AA, that is an example of a potentially useful tool doing damage by being used in an improper context.

I also think that we need to move beyond seeing race and gender as the sole divisions within society which we would want to address when it comes to equal opportunity. A black woman who comes from a wealth family will no doubt have a better opportunity at getting a good education, and therefore getting a good job, than a white man who comes from a poor family.

So, no simple answer to this one - it can be good, it can be harmful. We need to be aware that certain backgrounds are going to inhibit opportunities and I think it is in our interests as a society to ensure that those inhibitions are as small as we can possibly make them - ideally your background, be it religion, race, wealth, gender, sexuality, or whatever else should not minimise your chances at getting ahead in life. AA is one tool that we can use, and it can be well used. It isn't a silver bullet, and it comes with its own problems, so we need to think about when and how we use it so that we don't unfairly impact on the rights of one person to raise up another.

I agree.
AA is usually a bad reason to choose either way.
It is wrong to hire someone because they are a minority and your numbers need increased, as it is to not higher a minority, just because your numbers are acceptable.

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

AA does not meet this dream. The dream was spoken by a knowledgable man, that understood, discrimination is wrong, no matter which way it falls.


I ask supporters of AA,
Would it be reasonable to demand professional sports teams to ensure all races are supported on the team in proper proportions?
If a team had to many martians, they would have to replace a martian with a decendant of Europe?
Shouldn't the world have the best people in place to drive the team to victory? No matter what the game?

 

[DaisyDay]

It is really far more a case by case basis. I come from a working class family and am first in my family to go to college. Perhaps I am not a minority, but I do have my own share of challenges to over come that the 'quintessential' while male does not, expect that unlike many minorities, people automatically assume I DON'T have those challenges. Perhaps I am in a minority of white males here, but the problem is that people keep telling me I'm not in the minority.

It's probably pretty easy for you to "pass", though.

 

[Gishin]

I don't support AA, but I understand why it may be seen as necessary. It just highlights how racism is still a very much alive in our country on both sides.

 

[lawtonfogle]

It's probably pretty easy for you to "pass", though.

Perhaps if I go to areas predominantly white, which is now an option, but growing up, when I didn't have a choice, I went to a predominately black area.

I may never be stopped for driving while black, I may never be followed by shop security for shopping while black. But I highly doubt if the disadvantages caused by that will ever be able to compare to the disadvantages of a lower socioeconomic family. Not to mention, there are definitely areas where I will be far less likely to get by as white, places where my life is more in danger.

 

[WadeWilson]

I wouldn't want to be hired solely based on my skin color. Then again, I wouldn't want to he looked over soley based on my skin color either. Ideally, yes everyone would judge all canidates based solely on merit.

Here's how I see AA:
The good: It prevents racist "hirers" from excluding people solely on race.
The bad: It might cause a better canidate to be passed over becuase of 'quotas'.

I don't see how you can have one without the other. If there was some form of non-aboslute compromise that might work.

But honestly preventing racism is probably via legislation is probably futile. But punishing racism is much more do-able via enforcing Title VII

 

[ACougar]

I believe AA has played an important role in the past and that it's gone a long way toward creating a nation where color doesn't stand in the way of opportunity. At some point, it will have outlived it's usefulness and should be discarded. I believe were getting pretty close to that point.

That said... the person your listening too on that youtube video is a former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the KKK. He's found an interesting way to spin his latest message, however at it's heart you'll find the same debased racist ideology.

David Duke - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[DaisyDay]

But honestly preventing racism is probably via legislation is probably futile. But punishing racism is much more do-able via enforcing Title VII

Futile? It's been very effective. People of any color can now drink from any public water fountain, sit on any seat in a public conveyance, stay at any hotel, eat at any diner, etc, etc, etc. It was not this way before the anti-racism legislation, back when Jim Crow was law.

People forget.

 

[SOAD]

Why is Christian Forums allowing David Duke videos in their forums?

Can I start posting stuff from the Westboro Baptist Church, or Stormfront?

 

[ulu]

It's a "free" forum. The less censorship the better.

 

[SOAD]

It's a "free" forum. The less censorship the better.

No, it is not "free". It is Christian. Go ahead an insult the Christian religion and see what happens. You are free to post it and they are free to delete it.