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I fear we may be talking past each other. 1. Affirmative action was designed to benefit African-Americans, that is: the descendants of African slaves brought t

I fear we may be talking past each other. 1. Affirmative action was designed to benefit African-Americans, that is: the descendants of African slaves brought to the US centuries ago. This is a separate cultural group from recent black immigrants from Nigeria, the West Indies, or other African countries. 2. The percentage of immigrant Africans is also tiny in comparison to the descendants of slaves. So using them as an example to disprove the idea that there is discrimination against black people, is again, not really relevant. In any case, the problems probably arise from the basing of affirmative action decisions on race/skin color and not cultural background. I don't know if this is a really a solvable problem, but blankety stating that "Asian people have it worse than Black people in America" is so blatantly wrong that I have to call you out on it.

goatinaboat 7y ago
So using them as an example to disprove the idea that there is discrimination against black people, is again, not really relevant This would be true only if you were able to tell at a glance which black people are descendants of slaves and which are more recent arrivals. Do you claim to have this ability? Do you claim that this ability is widespread enough to be representative?
DiogenesKynikos 7y ago
To point 2, nearly half of black students admitted to Ivy League schools are from African immigrant families. And of those who are descended from American slaves, I'm sure an analysis of their family socioeconomic background would show they're fairly well off, in general. The problem with affirmative action policies is that they end up benefiting a small social layer of mostly well-off black people, and that they do almost nothing for the vast majority of black people. But because affirmative action costs almost nothing to implement, it's an easy policy that many people support. A real policy that addresses poverty is what is needed, not an arbitrary boost for college admissions based on skin color.

goatinaboat 7y ago

So using them as an example to disprove the idea that there is discrimination against black people, is again, not really relevant This would be true only if you were able to tell at a glance which black people are descendants of slaves and which are more recent arrivals. Do you claim to have this ability? Do you claim that this ability is widespread enough to be representative?

DiogenesKynikos 7y ago

To point 2, nearly half of black students admitted to Ivy League schools are from African immigrant families. And of those who are descended from American slaves, I'm sure an analysis of their family socioeconomic background would show they're fairly well off, in general. The problem with affirmative action policies is that they end up benefiting a small social layer of mostly well-off black people, and that they do almost nothing for the vast majority of black people. But because affirmative action costs almost nothing to implement, it's an easy policy that many people support. A real policy that addresses poverty is what is needed, not an arbitrary boost for college admissions based on skin color.