[449] in Discussion of MIT-community interests
Re: In Defense of Affirmative Action
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Thomas G Cadwell)
Wed May 2 02:24:07 2001
Message-Id: <200105020623.CAA28273@jiffy-express.mit.edu>
To: Chris Rezek <crezek@alum.MIT.EDU>
cc: mit-talk@MIT.EDU, tcadwell@MIT.EDU
In-Reply-To: Your message of "Wed, 02 May 2001 01:41:23 EDT."
<200105020538.BAA28152@melbourne-city-street.mit.edu>
Date: Wed, 02 May 2001 02:23:46 -0400
From: Thomas G Cadwell <tcadwell@MIT.EDU>
>The anti-affirmative action argument is that it would be unfair to give the
>non-white an advantage. What is usually forgotten is that the white runner
>has a 100M headstart. The footrace didn't start with both runners on the
>starting line - one of the runners had a few centuries of legal superiority
>(leading to economic & political superiority) on his side.
Who exactly is the white runner? Thats another problem with aff action.
Underrepresented minorities all have many VERY favorably "born" people
who have children that get all the chances in the world. There are also an
enormous amount of white males who are born into economic/education
situations that put them well below the average situation of various
under-represented minorities. How can you only defend the "black runner"
and not the "white runner whos just as far behind as the average black
runner" (to continue on your metaphor)
Moving out of the metaphor..
Is it fair for the black student who has wealthy parents, and had a
private school education to have a benefit that an inner-city white
kid is denied? purely because of race? Or what about someone who is some
minute fraction hispanic or native american, and puts that as their race.
All of these things happen with an aff action policy.
But to any admissions professional, its pretty clear who has what advantage
based on the interview, school info, etc (in terms of having a "Free" leg up).
I think its very possible to be as fair as possible to people without
throwing race into the mix. I mean, isn't that the goal in the end -- to be
fair and try to recognize potential talent (i.e. smart kids at bad schools
who are willing to work hard and will contribute to the school)?
