(no subject)
Dear Friends,
I can't tell you how much it means to me that I have so many friends who care so much about the rights and opportunities of not just their part of the community, but the whole community. The arguments I've heard (and I've heard many) against proposal 2 are almost always well thought out, intelligent, and well meaning. But I cannot agree.
I can't help but look at the situation of society as a big picture, and that is how I will explain my views. Firstly, I've heard many concerns that Proposal 2 will get rid of programs for minorities and women. That's probably true, and I hope it will. Every program that will be gotten rid of can be a program available for everyone, that doesn't discriminate. An outreach program for minorities that educates people on what opportunities are available, and gives them more opportunities, can be available to not just minorities, but to what is so important: to the people that need them. Science and math programs for women can be science and math programs....for everyone. What a novel idea.
This proposal, for me, is a purely moral one. I am against discrimination. That is all. If we as a society want to get rid of gender and race discrimination we cannot just compensate for past discrimination by discriminating. If we get pushed the answer is not to push back, and any admirer of Gandhi will say. You hold on to the standards and morals that you have and don't compromise because others compromise.
Well, what a naive argument! You might think. And I would agree. But if I can't hold on to the belief that our society is not based on discrimination, then I will go live with the bears in Alaska. I'm not going to say that a quick fix works for me, because it doesn't.
If Proposal 2 doesn't pass, I won't be upset, because I know that many people will have voted for it for the same reason that I will vote against it: for the equality of everyone. But I don't think that programs that will refuse one person and take another are acceptable if they both need help, but they are different races or genders. And I don't believe that Affirmative Action should be allowed to become a permanent part of the educational system. Aiffirmative Action being celebrated will then slow down action designed to help all children get a good education by compensating later on. Affirmative Action is an admirable attempt at giving minorities a chance to overcome the history of discrimination that still echoes is the education system, but to be happy with Affirmative Action is impossible. We have Affirmative Action because of discrimination, and now I challenge everyone to use their lives to end it so we don't need Affirmative Action to exist. I plan on devoting my life to that cause.
So there it is. I don't care who thought up Proposal 2, or the equivolent in California, I'm not worried that people will use it to get rid of programs for breast cancer or centers for the abused. I will fight those claims, because I believe in our society, and I don't want to settle for discrimination. Thanks for reading.
I can't tell you how much it means to me that I have so many friends who care so much about the rights and opportunities of not just their part of the community, but the whole community. The arguments I've heard (and I've heard many) against proposal 2 are almost always well thought out, intelligent, and well meaning. But I cannot agree.
I can't help but look at the situation of society as a big picture, and that is how I will explain my views. Firstly, I've heard many concerns that Proposal 2 will get rid of programs for minorities and women. That's probably true, and I hope it will. Every program that will be gotten rid of can be a program available for everyone, that doesn't discriminate. An outreach program for minorities that educates people on what opportunities are available, and gives them more opportunities, can be available to not just minorities, but to what is so important: to the people that need them. Science and math programs for women can be science and math programs....for everyone. What a novel idea.
This proposal, for me, is a purely moral one. I am against discrimination. That is all. If we as a society want to get rid of gender and race discrimination we cannot just compensate for past discrimination by discriminating. If we get pushed the answer is not to push back, and any admirer of Gandhi will say. You hold on to the standards and morals that you have and don't compromise because others compromise.
Well, what a naive argument! You might think. And I would agree. But if I can't hold on to the belief that our society is not based on discrimination, then I will go live with the bears in Alaska. I'm not going to say that a quick fix works for me, because it doesn't.
If Proposal 2 doesn't pass, I won't be upset, because I know that many people will have voted for it for the same reason that I will vote against it: for the equality of everyone. But I don't think that programs that will refuse one person and take another are acceptable if they both need help, but they are different races or genders. And I don't believe that Affirmative Action should be allowed to become a permanent part of the educational system. Aiffirmative Action being celebrated will then slow down action designed to help all children get a good education by compensating later on. Affirmative Action is an admirable attempt at giving minorities a chance to overcome the history of discrimination that still echoes is the education system, but to be happy with Affirmative Action is impossible. We have Affirmative Action because of discrimination, and now I challenge everyone to use their lives to end it so we don't need Affirmative Action to exist. I plan on devoting my life to that cause.
So there it is. I don't care who thought up Proposal 2, or the equivolent in California, I'm not worried that people will use it to get rid of programs for breast cancer or centers for the abused. I will fight those claims, because I believe in our society, and I don't want to settle for discrimination. Thanks for reading.