“Affirmative Action” In An Obituary

There is a telling if unintended indictment of how affirmative action tarnishes accomplishment in, of all places, a glowing obituary of C.H. James II, a very successful black businessman, in Black Enterprise. Quoted on his father’s remarkable accomplishments, Charles H. James III, who took the reins of the family business from his father in 1988, had this to say:

“My father [excelled during] pre-affirmative action, when it was just pure toe-to-toe competition,” James III said. “To do that for 30 plus years in West Virginia speaks volumes to his determination and business acumen.”

Indeed it does, and it also reveals how affirmative action tarnishes the accomplishments of those who receive it, since their success was not necessarily the result of “pure toe-to-toe competition.” And even if it was, there will be suspicion that it wasn’t.

Say What? (3)

  1. ACF September 19, 2007 at 11:48 pm | | Reply

    And it is sad to watch an affirmative action baby respond to the requirements of competition.

    Once when having lunch with such a poor soul, I was told by an affirmative action recipient that she was passed along and encouraged to enter a competitive field in high school, she was passed along in college, she was passed along in graduate school, and be damned if she was going to all the sudden do work to receive her PhD. Her PhD advisor, as she explained, could go take a jump in the lake if he thought that she would all of the sudden actually work to get her degree.

    And she was right. Despite the fact that her PhD committee walked out on her defense, she received a degree and is now controlling rocket launches. I hope her rocket does not fall on your head. Of course, “people in the know” discount the accomplishments that might otherwise be associated with her position.

  2. Dom September 20, 2007 at 2:21 pm | | Reply

    I’m confused. Is Charles H. James III a privileged child who is receiving unfair preferences because he is rich? Or is he a victim of institutional racism who deserves preferences because he is black?

  3. GD September 20, 2007 at 6:19 pm | | Reply

    “pure toe-to-toe competition”

    That is damn good. I’m going to appropriate that phrase.

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