Colorblind society, myths and realities

John Fund has an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal in which he accused the president of the University of Michigan, Mary Sue Coleman, of taking a George Wallace approaching to civil rights. He argues her of standing in the way of America becoming a colorblind society by continuing to support "racial preferences" in spite of the fact that Michigan has passed a law, which makes them illegal. Money quote:

We've come a long way since 1964, when the late civil rights hero Hubert Humphrey stood on the Senate floor and told his colleagues that if the civil rights bill contained "any language which provides that an employer will have to hire on the basis of percentage or quota related to color, race, religion, or national origin, I will start eating the pages one after another, because it is not in there."

Four decades later, supporters of racial preferences imposed by government agencies are blocking legal efforts to establish the color-blind society that Martin Luther King envisioned. Dr. King's dream is alive in Michigan, and in other states, but a large number of people seem interested in stirring up a nightmare of massive resistance. Such efforts are likely not only to only fail, but to harden the public's opposition to divisive racial quotas.

The problem, which I have with John Fund and others, who argue against affirmative action, is that they go too far by arguing that its supporters are like segregationists or by refusing to acknowledge that we don't live in a colorblind society and that something has to be done in order to achieve that goal. John Fund's main point is that everything that needed to be done has been done and that minorities now need to be on their own for there are no longer any obstacles in becoming functional members of society, which they cannot overcome on their own. I am willing to accept to go along with those who argue that affirmative action isn't the answer and that it has divided America more than it has helped minority. However, those making that argument shouldn't stop their examination of the role of race in America at that point and content themselves with judging means, which have been used to redress wrong and to condemn their ineffectiveness. They should propose ways to achieve a colorblind society unless of course the point of their criticism of affirmative actions is that nothing should be done for action would always be more harmful than inaction. I disagree for I think that when a goal is as noble as achieving a colorblind society or rather a colorful society where having a different skin color or being of a different ethnic won't matter society must do everything that it can to achieve it.

Comments

[davidp]

G'day Kiki, I've been enjoying your blog.

From my Australian perspective, I think that our past treatment of aboriginal people gives the current young people a disadvantaged start.

I know that in Australia the strongest predictor of a child's educational success is the parents attitude to education. I know in America the strongest predictor of financial success is whether your parents owned their home or otherwise had some money saved (not a lot, but some, which helps with college costs or work startup costs).

Only 25 years ago an Australia state government prevented a group of aboriginals buying land (being sold by a privately) with money they had earned and saved. 70 years ago aboriginals were not legally allowed to own land or businesses. In my state, they were under the management of a protector of aboriginals. I'm not sure when they became able to own land and to vote, or to manage their own money. Aboriginals were paid less for the same work and often cheated of their pay. Discrimination has created parents and grandparents with negligible assets, no experience of business, no expectation of being able to benefit from education, no expectation of the justice system working on their side. This makes it much harder for their children and grandchildren to "overcome on their own" the obstacles to enjoying productive, contented membership of our society. There are also cultural attitudes that make it harder, but some of these would be modified if they had a background of successful involvement. (In Australia there are other aboriginal cultural attitudes they don't want to change, and there needs to be mutual adjustment to find a way for the different cultures to co-exist. This is less of an issue in for blacks and hispanics in the US)

How long ago was it illegal to teach a black to read in southern US states? It was some time in the 20th century. How long ago was the last county still "proud a black never cast a vote in this county"? It was after 1960. When did the police and courts become 'color blind'?

Incidentally, in "Collapse" by Jared Diamond, he describes the strong parallels between the attitudes of people in the Dominican Republic to Haitian immigrants and the attitudes of Americans to immigrants from the Dominican Republic. It's well worth reading.

[kiki]

Thanks David. I think you made very interesting points, which give a lot to think about. I haven't read "Collapse" yet but it is on my list of books to read for the holidays.