Positive Discrimination

[OceanEyes28]

White people complaining about racism is really funny to me. White males complaining about being at a disadvantage is even funnier.

In this society, white males especially, you do still have the advantage. You seriously do. Don't worry.

Imagine yourself the only white person in a workplace of all black people. Not only that, but they resent that you got the job and think it's only because of Affirmative Action, because you're the minority in this imaginary country. That's pretty uncomfortable. And that's what a lot of minorities feel all the time.

I'm not saying whites should be discriminated against because of that, but I do think we need to realize and admit that we do still have an advantage over minorities in this country (USA). And I don't think anyone in a minority with any kind of pride would want to be coddled and told "Well, you couldn't be where you are if we didn't help you." That's also pretty racist.

And I agree that hiring people should be about anything other than race and gender. Performance, experience, people skills, you name it. However:

Indirect racism operates like this: if a white student is more likely to be rich, then they are more likely to go to a high-decile school, and thus have a greater level of achievement than poorer students. By going to university, the students in question are more likely to earn a higher income and send their (white) offspring to high decile schools. See where this goes? It maintains a status quo where minorites are disadvantaged. By dropping UE requirements for Maori, Sharples postulates that this cycle can be broken. Maori students will be able to access tertiary education, and hopefully pass so that there will be a generation of educated Maori parents, who can foster educational achievement in their own children. This would appear to be to the benefit of the country as a whole, right?

Critics say that it disadvantages white people. But if white people are already advantaged in the current situation, then aren't things more equal now?

Exactly.

[Angantyr]

White people complaining about racism is really funny to me. White males complaining about being at a disadvantage is even funnier.

In this society, white males especially, you do still have the advantage. You seriously do. Don't worry.

Imagine yourself the only white person in a workplace of all black people. Not only that, but they resent that you got the job and think it's only because of Affirmative Action, because you're the minority in this imaginary country. That's pretty uncomfortable. And that's what a lot of minorities feel all the time.

I'm not saying whites should be discriminated against because of that, but I do think we need to realize and admit that we do still have an advantage over minorities in this country (USA). And I don't think anyone in a minority with any kind of pride would want to be coddled and told "Well, you couldn't be where you are if we didn't help you." That's also pretty racist.

And I agree that hiring people should be about anything other than race and gender. Performance, experience, people skills, you name it. However:



Exactly.

Not in New Zealand.

I worked at KFC for 3 1/2 years, Maoris have more opportunities than us.

[Alpha]

Not in New Zealand.

I worked at KFC for 3 1/2 years, Maoris have more opportunities than us.

What?? You worked at KFC and didn't notice the number of Maori people who come into your workplace? How is that an opportunity?

Notice the location, I know what I'm saying here.

Why is a large proportion of your client base Maori or some kind of Pacific Island? Because they are POOR, and your food is cheap. Why are they poor? Because they are DISCRIMINATED against. They eat your food, and become unhealthy? Blame them? Blame the fact that coke is $2 and milk is $5.

We may like to think they are not discriminated against, but they are. I went to KFC the other day, all the staff were Maori/PI, and there were 3 of 4 customers of similar ethnicity (this includes me - I was the only white face). I only went to get some potato and gravy, the lady in front of me got a bucket of chicken. You can reasonably assume this is because they cannot afford better food. Perhaps they are less educated about such things as the importance of a healthy lifestyle, etc.

What do you think of Pita Sharples' university entrance proposal?

By no stretch of the imagination do Maori have more opportunities than us white people. What decile school did you go to? Anything below 4 is HIGHLY likely to have a disproportionate number of Maori in it. That is not opportunity, mate.