There has of late been a great deal of public moaning and groaning from spokespersons of one of our ethnic groups, lamenting the refusal or failure of the national community to recognise and validate their claims for greater shares of the symbolic and material resources available for allocation by the society, whether these take the form of public sector jobs, promotions within public organisations, public recognition of cultural icons, or the selection for national awards of persons whom they believe have made significant contributions to community life whether at the national or the subsidiary level.
…. [Similar complaints from another ethnic group]
The public and private reaction to these various outpourings of ethnic grief and hurt were predictable. Both sides were accused of “dividing the country on the basis of ethnicity” more than it already is. Both were said to be demanding affirmative action when in fact pathways to the top are open to achievers of any ethnicity if they would only reach out for the mountain top. There were also complaints that too many stress sect and tribe and ignore the national interest etc.
Sound familiar? It should, because it is familiar … even though it is discussing debates in Trinidad & Tobago.
“Affirmative action” may soon overtake Coke as a leading American export.
ADDENDUM: Sound Familiar II?
Black police association calls for race quotas
LONDON: Britain’s National Black Police Association said yesterday Black and Asian candidates should be given preference for jobs in the police force to increase their numbers in the service.
“We are not saying we should reduce standards. What we are saying is that you keep a certain standard and when two people of similar standard enter that pool, we should consider a black or Asian officer first,” superintendent Ali Dizaei from the NBPA told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Dizaei called on ministers to “seriously consider” affirmative action, whereby a set number of posts at all ranks would be held for ethnic minorities, because efforts to make the force more representative had failed.
“It is not going to work unless we take some real affirmative action to create a police service which reflects the society we serve,” Dizaei said.
Despicable.
I was referring to the stories, by the way. ;)
I’m amazed that people who support skin color preferences seem not to realize how fundamentally unfair the very concept is and how demeaning they are to all of us.
Then again, this is something one would expect from us self-centered, flawed humans.