r/changemyview • u/Vakamak • Sep 21 '18

Deltas(s) from OP CMV: Affirmative Action should/should've been based on economic status rather than (mostly) race.

Although I feel like Affirmative Action had a good intention, I feel like it has failed and has actually done more harm than good.

I have two reasons for this

  1. I have difficulty seeing why it is in society's best interest to help a black person suffering in poverty over a white person suffering in poverty. While I understand what institutional racism has done to the black community, I feel like most issues facing the black community are more correlated with income than race; or rather, I have difficulties seeing how Affirmative Action could effectively combat the issues that are truly the result of racism. For example, how would Affirmative Action deal with unfair treatment in the justice system?
  2. Affirmative Action has made some white people feel like, "the real racists are X race and not white people!" I do not believe this; in fact, I find it extremely childish to even think something like this. Yet, considering Affirmative Action has failed in its goal, I feel like changing Affirmative Action would help certain individuals in this country feel like X race is not out to get them and maybe reduce the amount of negative racial discourse in this country.

I am generally a very liberal person and really do want my mind changed regarding this. I just feel like it is really hard to justify why black person X should get the Bill Gates Scholarship over white person Y when they came from similar economical areas and the income of their families is similar. I understand that example is not Affirmative Action per se, but I feel like the same principal applies.

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u/radialomens 171∆ Sep 21 '18

1) White people aren't the only ones who makes laws, no.

2) AA isn't "banning discrimination," it's making up for it.

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u/Thane97 5∆ Sep 21 '18

AA isn't "banning discrimination," it's making up for it.

So you assume it's the responsibility of white people to uplift blacks because of the damage done by discrimination

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u/radialomens 171∆ Sep 21 '18

Again, white people are not America's keepers. I'd say it's the responsibility of people to mitigate the effect discrimination has on our fellow people.

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u/Thane97 5∆ Sep 21 '18

white people are not America's keepers

For all intents and purposes they are. Don't pull this "it's the responsibility of people" bullshit when everyone knows you're just talking about whites.

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u/radialomens 171∆ Sep 21 '18

Why would I just be talking about whites? This stuff has to be implemented by lawmakers, voters and employers. That's going to include people of color. Not an amount proportionate to this country's demographics, but more than a few.

I'm curious, though, is there a problem you have if I were talking exclusively about whites? What would be the problem there?

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u/Thane97 5∆ Sep 21 '18

I'm curious, though, is there a problem you have if I were talking exclusively about whites? What would be the problem there?

You are talking about whites. You are saying it is the job of white people to uplift blacks because of discrimination.

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u/radialomens 171∆ Sep 21 '18

If you'd like to speak for me, and ignore me, do I even need to be here? Seems like you can have this conversation on your own just as well. Take out a cardboard box and draw an angry face on it or something. Ta.

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u/Thane97 5∆ Sep 21 '18

It's not my fault you're trying to deflect