Do you believe in Affirmative Action?

@naty1941 (2336)
United States
March 29, 2007 9:59pm CST
What Is Affirmative Action? Born of the civil rights movement three decades ago, affirmative action calls for minorities and women to be given special consideration in employment, education and contracting decisions. Institutions with affirmative action policies generally set goals and timetables for increased diversity – and use recruitment, set-asides and preference as ways of achieving those goals. In its modern form, affirmative action can call for an admissions officer faced with two similarly qualified applicants to choose the minority over the white, or for a manager to recruit and hire a qualified woman for a job instead of a man. Affirmative action decisions are generally not supposed to be based on quotas, nor are they supposed to give any preference to unqualified candidates. And they are not supposed to harm anyone through "reverse discrimination."
1 response
afreddy
@afreddy (182)
• India
2 Apr 07
I know exactly what you're talking about.We in India have the quota system. India has a long history of casteism in which the society was based on the work one did (this was more than 300 years ago. The Brahimins were right on the top because they were men of god and performed all the rites and rituals, next came the Warriors because they protected everyone next came the businessmen who traded and brought in food, and finally came the menial workers like the cobblers, tailors, etc, etc. this was actually for convenience but in time became a system where one looked down upon the class below themselves and right at the bottom were the last class. We have a system where there are quota systems to rehabitillate those at the bottom. This is so even if they are economically strong and can acheive success and prosperity without this system. Affirmative action should not only look at qualification and capability but also background. If there is a chance that the person in concern can get a job elsewhere as well then the quota system should not copme into play
1 person likes this
naty1941
@naty1941 (2336)
• United States
2 Apr 07
This what I like about MyLot it gives me an opportunity to have people like you tell me about how things are done in their country. I learn a lot about other countries via this method. Thank you for your response.