If This Isn’t Affirmative Action, What Is?

At first they tried to argue that affirmative action doesn’t mean quotas. Now they’re arguing that affirmative action doesn’t even mean … affirmative action.

Saying it’s not affirmative action, Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler tells CNYcentral the hiring of new police officers will be based on several preference lists….

Chief Fowler says he will be giving first preference to city residents, regardless of their race. After that, women and African Americans will get second preference.

These preferred candidates would be able to score lower on entrance exams and still be admitted to the academy.

For the sake of the citizens of Syracuse (of all races, creeds, colors, ethnicities, and sexual persuasions), let’s hope that Chief Fowler is better at fighting crime than he is at making sense.

If there is good news here, it is that affirmative action is now so unpopular that even its supporters and practitioners routinely try to deny their association with it.

Say What?