THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
An Online Journal of Political Commentary & Analysis
Volume V, Issue # 18, January 23, 2003
Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
Government Committed to & Acting in Accord with Conservative Principles
Ensures a Nation's Strength, Progress, & Prosperity
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IS NEGATIVE ACTION
A NEWSMAX.COM ANALYSIS
By John LeBoutillier
NEWSMAX.COM President Bush's announcement about the wrongful use of race in determining who gets into college or graduate schools is 100 percent correct.
Intentionally mislabeled as "Affirmative Action," these racial categories are a perver- sion of the goal of a colorblind nation. What is "affirmative" about discrimination based on skin color?
Indeed, this ultra-Liberal, "Politically Correct" program has done more to divide the races than it has helped advance minorities who, admittedly, have suffered awful dis- crimination for hundreds of years. But the notion that the way to "correct" one wrong is by committing the exact same wrong–in reverse–is ludicrous.
Affirmative Action, however well-intentioned, is actually Negative Action for our entire society.
It demeans those minorities who legitimately deserve jobs or school acceptances. And it stigmatizes all minorities as "affirmative action hires."
The use of race in awarding "points" in determining acceptance or denial into colleges and graduate schools is pathetic. Please let me share a story with you.
In 1976, I applied to Stanford Law School. I was, at that time, a senior at Harvard with good grades; five months later, I would graduate Magna Cum Laude.
On the Stanford Law application, they asked applicants to check a box under the cate- gory Origin of Birth. There were a few choices: Native Born American, Caucasian, Negro, Foreign Born.
Looking at this choice–and with no mischief or malice intended–I said to myself, "Native born American? I was born here. That's me." I checked that box and moved on to fill out the rest of my application. Then I mailed it in, didn't think about it again, and waited to hear from Stanford.
In March or so–around the time the law schools inform you of their decision–I walked into the dining room in Kirkland House, where I lived at Harvard, and noticed a table full of American Indians having lunch. These folks were not usually eating in this dining room, as they didn't live in Kirkland House.
Anyway, I got my tray and went and sat down with some friends. Not three minutes later, an American Indian woman came over to our table, looked at me, and asked, "Are you John LeBoutillier?"
I said I was.
She said nothing else and returned to her table.
I had a funny feeling about it, but soon put it in the back of my mind.
Ten days later, in my mailbox was the all-too-thin rejection letter from Stanford Law School.
I tore it open and saw that indeed I had been turned down.
While I was walking around that evening, it hit me! Stanford Law had seen the checked "Native Born American" on my application–coupled with the French name–and had wondered if I might indeed have been a "minority," perhaps a French-Canadian Indian!
So they dispatched a few sets of trustworthy Amerindian "eyes" to eyeball me to make certain of my "heritage."
And once they ascertained that I was a white man, then I was O-U-T at Stanford Law.
I suppose that, if I had some Indian blood in me, I would have been accepted. Otherwise, why would they even have "examined" me?
Twenty-seven years later, I bear no ill will or bitterness over that ridiculous use of race to admit or reject people. But I do want to prevent others from having their skin color– over which they have no choice–be a factor in admissions or securing a job.
Until we become a colorblind society, we will remain a divided society, instead of a united society based on merit.
More on Ethnic & Racial Politics
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Reprinted with Permission of NewsMax.Com
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THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
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Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
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Conservative Government Ensures a Nation's Strength, Progress, & Prosperity