READER COMMEN TS
; AFFIRMATIVE ACTION: STILL RELEVANT?
treatment.” Sadly, the world that
Connerly describes, where we are
all in a level playing field, does not
exist. Therefore, one is compelled
to analyze Connerly’s ability to
accurately assess the “real world”
or question if there is some other
motive for his promotion of such
absurdity. The truth unfolds by
following the “money trail.” Review
Connerly’s financial support and
income growth since he began
advocating this concept and the
masked man is fully exposed.
Steven Gutierrez
observance and adherence to federal diversity laws—that Connerly
either tune in to CNN or the New
York Post, or maybe ask any Black
person who crosses his path how
that whole “birther” thing worked
out for President Obama. Linda L.
; For a man who stands where
he stands today—in this country, at this time in history—Ward
Connerly is remarkably, offensively
blind to the role affirmative action has played in his own rise to
success. By his logic, the United
States should never have interfered with slavery, leaving each
indentured man, woman and
child to negotiate their personal freedom from Southern
masters who would without a
doubt first weigh the economic
consequences of freeing a slave
to the widely held opinions of
whites that Blacks were, first,
animals; next, rightfully owned
chattel; [and third], incapable of
the level of intellectual ability of
any whites. Ridiculous! I suppose
were this country somehow able to
“forget” its 400+ years of history—
wiping the legacy and memory of
subjugation, persecution, discrimination and still widely held belief
in white superiority from the minds
of 50 percent of the U.S. population
who hold those beliefs, ingrained
and passed down for generations—it may be possible for today’s
society to wipe the slate clean and
become colorblind in all its institutions, both public and private. But I
don’t think so. Perhaps it would’ve
been better—prior to making such
a grand stand for the exact opposite of the still much-needed
; The curse and blessing of
privilege has robbed Mr. Connerly
of clear sight. In a perfect world,
his idealism would be ideal. This
society is far from poised to
apply his beliefs on affirmative
action. As long as we have to ask
the question about race, with the
same group outperforming in terms
of education, career opportunity
and wealth, there will never
be equal opportunity to assess
the American dream. Too many
broken promises, false starts and
self-entitled over-consumption
in America to nurture this kind of
idealism. Get real, Mr. Connerly.
DiversityInc.com comment
difficult for me to believe that
Mr. Connerly believes systemic
and blatant racism would not
find its way back into our culture
(indeed, I would argue that it
has never left) full blown. To Mr.
Connerly, I say that I am happy you
were able to achieve your successes,
but don’t begrudge others who are
still struggling to achieve and may
and will need government assistance in order to do so. DiversityInc.
com comment
; Allow me to translate Mr.
Connerly’s perspective: I got
mine, now you get yours. That’s
what he’s really saying. It is
; Experience has proven that
a colorblind state has only been
achieved through “total blindness.”
Experience has proven that laws
are made when the issues under
their protection have been violated.
Experience has also proven that
laws are often broken and just as we
have police, courts and penalties to
remedy violations, we have affirmative action to prevent discrimination. Our efforts are not perfect
nor totally successful, but until
we find a better solution, they are
all we have. Mr. Connerly tells us of
his beliefs, but what are his experiences, his reality? Joyce Pratt
Photos: Jamie Watts
