Institutionalized Racism and Affirmative Action

[To give some context for the topic I heard a story on NPR this morning about Brazil implementing race tribunals. That are required for every person getting a government job. They measure skin tone, hair texture, and even nose and lip size to determine if you meet the standards for “blackness” in order to qualify. In an attempt to solve the issue they have with lack of diversity they are implementing policy that reminds me of 20^th century eugenics or Nazism. That’s maybe a bit harsh, but man.]

When a government has rules and laws that are explicitly racist, Jim Crow laws and the like, it is important to speak against those and have them removed. Racism is wrong and should not be condoned by the government.

When there has been a history of racism and widespread discrimination I understand the desires and motivations to make things right. The desire to balance the scales and raise up the groups that were the victims of prejudice. In societies that have sought to do that affirmative action has not been an uncommon strategy. I do not think that affirmative action is a good strategy though. I don't think it is good for the repressed groups and I don't think it is good for the formerly oppressing groups and I don't think it is good for society as a whole.

The fundamental issue with racism is that at its core it prevents people from participating freely in society based on their intrinsic characteristics, regardless of their personal merit. It represses people because of generalized assumptions about that group regardless of the truth of the generalization or the deviation of individuals within that group. It penalizes individuals regardless of personal merit. It breaks up societal unity with fallacious and harmful "us vs them" narratives. It is all around a bad thing.

Unfortunately affirmative action does the same thing. It says some people are more deserving of acceptance or inclusion in various parts of society simply because they belong to a certain group. Again, ignoring personal achievement. It isn't as bad as your typical racism of course, getting into college because you were an oppressed minority is better than getting hung because of it. However, it continues the “us vs them” narrative and sidesteps personal merit. It has the same corrupt core even if it is more socially acceptable on the outside.

The reality is that there is still racism in this country. But the way to improve minorities’ situations and to improve race relations is to allow and enforce fair access for everyone. That way when an individual from a formerly oppressed group succeeds, everyone knows it is because they are talented and worthy of that success. It encourages others from that group to try and succeed and it proves to the racists and bigots that their perverse views are unfounded.

I recognize that affirmative action is used to try to improve the situation minorities find themselves in after years of being held down and prevented from participating fully in society. That is an important thing to do. We should recognize the hurts we inflict on each other and seek to resolve them. However, I think it can be done in a way that does not make it a specifically race based solution thereby extending the race divide. Oppressed groups have a significantly higher poverty rate. So by providing increased opportunities for improved education and overall economic mobility for the poor you are going to help those people overcome the difficult start they had.

The government should be truly color blind. By doing that you facilitate societal unity and encourage society to get to a place where race of any kind does not matter. No decision should be made, good or bad, based on race.