On Fri, 2008-11-28 at 04:50 -0700, Daniel C. wrote: > I don't see how EO laws are generally discriminatory, no. They make > it illegal to discriminate based on a few select criteria, most of > which a person can't control, others which it would be unreasonable to > ask a person to change and which don't affect a person's job > performance. Can you explain how you find laws which forbid > discrimination to be discriminatory?
If you don't see how EO is discriminatory, you're living in a dream world. Dream world: Company always hires the most qualified candidate. Real world: Companies large enough to get sued deliberately hire a certain number of minorities just to be safe. The most qualified candidate still gets hired, but now the definition of "qualified" has changed. It's not only about return on investment anymore, like insurance it's also about not getting struck by lightning. Don't get me wrong, I thing there was a time and place for positive discrimination to counter years of negative discrimination. But I think we're fast approaching the point where it becomes more destructive than constructive. These days, any company that wants to compete in the global market would be foolish to reject entire classes of people without consideration. Sure, some would do it but they'd gradually grow less competitive and then be eliminated. Deliberate discrimination is unfair to everyone. Every parent knows that sometimes a little favoritism is necessary, but taken to excess it just creates bigger problems than it solves. For example, I know a girl who received a very prestigious national scholarship. She is very smart, and incredibly driven. Believe me, she deserved it; but because her skin isn't white, some jerks just assume she didn't really earn it. Unfortunately the current reality will always hang over every recognition given to a minority: "was it real, or was it pity?" I also know a small company, the only supplier of a product a big company wanted. However, because it was owned by white men the big company wouldn't do business with the small company directly. A third party had to be found. Their only service? Cashing checks and taking a cut. Situations like that are ridiculous drag on our economy, but they're reality. /* PLUG: http://plug.org, #utah on irc.freenode.net Unsubscribe: http://plug.org/mailman/options/plug Don't fear the penguin. */
