police

[Neil]

I guess it was a better idea to leave things as they were, with all the racism and corruption.

There goes that political fallacy again - there's only two choices, right, status quo or positive discrimination. I struggle to think of one scenario where ideology is a better rationale than merit.

 

[highlandsflyer]

There is no way you can have a representative force when there is scant representation within that force of the diversity found in the society it polices.

Doesn't seem too hard to get one's head around.

 

[Neil]

There is no way you can have a representative force when there is scant representation within that force of the diversity found in the society it polices.

Doesn't seem too hard to get one's head around.

If society, by weight of law, wishes to teach (a concept I'm not wholly against) that it is illegal to discriminate based on such grounds, why, then, should it make any sense to anyone to implement positive discrimination? Doesn't the law damned well make the point there is no (should be no) difference?

 

[highlandsflyer]

I would argue that, where dealing with generations of discrimination, you cannot apply that kind of logic.

We are talking about applying a balance over time, in response to many years of imbalance.

Seems effective to me.

 

[Rusty Scrubber]

If a sesquipedalian and a polysyllabricator had a fight, who would win?

 

[cyfa2809]

If a sesquipedalian and a polysyllabricator had a fight, who would win?

No one as theyd be the only ones who knew what they were on about!

 

[Neil]

I would argue that, where dealing with generations of discrimination, you cannot apply that kind of logic.

We are talking about applying a balance over time, in response to many years of imbalance.

Seems effective to me.

You misunderstand me - I understand why those that support positive discrimination do so - I just disagree with the reasoning. To then compound it with pragmatism as a reason, compounds the lack of consistency - ideology and pragmatism are rarely good bedfellows. Personally, I believe in the perspective of attempting to eradicate the perception of difference - which is why I think positive discrimination is the wrong message to the wrong people. I believe in equal opportuinities, not artificially calculated opportuinities in a poorly thought out, and quite frankly inept, manner of attempting to tackle unpleasant history.

 

[bigmick]

I would argue that, where dealing with generations of discrimination, you cannot apply that kind of logic.

We are talking about applying a balance over time, in response to many years of imbalance.

Seems effective to me.

needs to work on all sides, people carrying a chip on shoulder for things that happened generations ago means things will never change

the blame game and wanting justice for crimes of the past means people will go round in circles

 

[IDB1]

If a sesquipedalian and a polysyllabricator had a fight, who would win?

Google.

 

[highlandsflyer]

Your insight is limited then, as there are many areas of society in which minorities are under-represented, and it should not be a case of waiting until things find a natural balance.

We either believe in equality and go about seeking it, or we sit on our hands and argue that the best 'man' for every job should be selected, from the perspective of the employer.