| Topic Name: |
NOW and affirmative action |
| Message Name: |
Yes. Defacto! |
| Date Posted: |
12/13/1999 |
| In Reply To: |
I must say, I am not impressed with your "defacto" argument. White males have a history of being innovative, and successful. From the invention of the printing press, the light bulb, the cathode-ray tube, to the first computer, it has been the work of white men that have lead us to a society of many conveniences and prosperity. Even our Constitution was an all-white, all-male accomplishment. This is not to say that whites are "better", but one must acknowledge and respect the accomplishments made by this ethnic/gender group. Were these "defacto" inventions? Give us white guys some credit. We cannot abandon our progressive and competitive nature. That is part of our "culture". You cannot expect to control the racial and gender proportions in today's institutions by force without creating your own injustices, hence preventing any possibility of racial harmony in this country. Affirmative Action seeks to control the outcome, but it is unjust because it masks what should be an obvious fact: that students emerging from these horrendous inner-city schools cannot possibly possess the skills needed to advance his/her ethnic group to those proportional levels that you desire. It is this "input" that needs to be addressed, so that the "outcome" can be left alone, thus restoring the freedom of the individual to achieve. |
| Message: |
JT,
Your statement that "White males have a history of being innovative, and successful. From the invention of the printing press, the light bulb, the cathode-ray tube, to the first computer, it has been the work of white men that have lead us to a society of many conveniences and prosperity." is pretty frightening in this day of so much information. This ignorance could be forgiven 80 years ago, but even some 3rd graders today know that minorities invented much that they couldn't patent or that was outright stolen from them. Perhaps, you should look at some of the patents for light bulbs you think were invented only by white males. At least by then, a few could get patents. "3/5 of a man", were not allowed to hold patents, so their owners took it. Read about George Washington Carver. Find out who create the method for separating plasma from blood. Think of how many lives have been saved because of this. Who invented the traffic light? Do you know where the term "the real McCoy" comes from? Probably not!
Even 10 years ago, this ignorance could be forgiven. But, with the Internet-- there really isn't any excuse-- except for a fear of finding out that your long held beliefs are not so true after all.
I was just speaking to an African-American today. He told me about an item he invented for use in the printing industry. He couldn't patent it because he signed papers saying anything created was owned by his employers. After creating and getting a prototype working, his boss invited a big manufacturer to see it. They promptly licensed it and the employer made a ton off it. They gave the inventor a case of Chivas for his troubles. Eventually he left the firm.
This type of thing goes on daily. So I wouldn't pat myself on the back too much if I were you. Stealing inventions is not creating!
Browse and Read!!!
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