Anyone who has read even one sentence I have written on the subject of affirmative action is quite aware of my opinion of it. Many opponents of affirmative action programs claim that it is ‘reverse racism’, I wholeheartedly disagree. Judging a person based on the color of their skin rather than their ability to perform a specific function, be it academically or physically is racism regardless of the color of skin. There is no such animal as reverse racism, as all forms of racism are inheritantly equal. Martin Luther King Jr., on the steps at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963 said these words:

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.”

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

Sadly the civil rights movement has been making a gradual, but real U-turn, and going back to the ways of old. When Martin Luther King Jr. spoke these words he was envisioning a country which did not look upon its people as white, black, Hispanic, or Asian, but as Americans. He believed deep in his heart that all men were truly created equal, and if given equal opportunities equal results could be achieved.

Dr. King would be proud of the progress which has been made as we look at figures such as E. Stanley O’ Neal, CEO of Merrill Lynch, Kenneth I. Chenault, CEO of American Express, Richard D. Parsons, CEO of Time Warner and John W. Thompson, CEO of Symantec, just to name a few African Americans who now run Fortune 500 companies. This has truly become a country where all men (and women), regardless of race, can achieve success provided they work hard. There are those out there however that still feel enough is not being done, and that institutionalized racism still exists.

It is on that note, that Iowa Governor Chet Culver signed an executive order demanding the state fix its hiring practices that have been the target of racial discrimination complaints.

Two state commissioned reports released this year outlined problems in the state’s hiring practices. Among the findings was the acknowledgment from at least three former white state managers who told investigators they believe blacks don’t interview as well for jobs, which the report linked with illegal discriminatory hiring practices.

If I understand the above paragraph correctly (and I believe I do), this would mean that the interview process is a form of discrimination because blacks do not, as a whole, excel at it. It gets better though, here is the Government ’solution’ to this ‘crisis’:

The panel of Iowa residents and government officials agreed earlier this month that Culver should consider a series of recommendations from the NAACP. The recommendations included requiring interviews for qualified minority candidates in jobs where minorities are underrepresented. It would also make department executives fill out a justification form before hiring a person who is not a minority in those jobs where minorities are underrepresented.

This is reminiscent of Detroit Lions team president Matt Millen being fined $200,000 by the NFL for hiring Steve Mariucci back in 2003 without interviewing any minority candidates first. What was ludicrous in that situation was, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that Mariucci would get the job, he was by far the most qualified, and the type of couch Detroit needed to turn their young talented team around. Because of diversity regulations however, a fine was levied to prove to the country the NFL would not tolerate racism. The Cowboys, who had every intention of hiring Bill Parcels as their head coach went out of their way to try and find a minority to interview to comply with regulations. None of their prospective candidates accepted the invitation because they knew Bill Parcels would ultimately get the job because of his experience.

Is this what the civil rights movement was really all about, forcing employers to hire ‘token minorities’ so they do not ‘appear’ to be racist? I do not believe this is what Dr. King was thinking when he referred to his children living “in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”.

The modern day activists demand their citizens be treated as equals while at the same time demanding special treatment in the hiring process.

Update:It is very ironic that as I was writing this article, Merrill Lynch CEO Stan O’Neal Retired, after Merrill announced the largest loss in the companies history.

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Politics, Racism