Fairness for All: Discrimination and Affirmative Action Don't Work

We need fairness, not ongoing discrimination and overdone affirmative action. Sadly, discrimination continues in many ways, while affirmative action exceeds reasonable bounds in other aspects.

I'll cite two hypothetical examples to illustrate extremes of discrimination and affirmative action.

For example, do any employers want to discriminate by refusing to hire any Hispanics or any women just for being Hispanic or female? I would hope not.

Similarly, would any professional basketball team in the NBA practice affirmative action by recruiting senior citizens as starters on their team? I hope not.

Let's seek equality of opportunity, while seeking fairness rather than either discrimination or affirmative action.

We need balance. Conflicts continue in modern 21st century society.

Disputes occur between:

*black and white,
*old and young,
*rich and poor,
*male and female,
*heterosexual and homosexual,
*Christian and atheist
*Jew and Muslim
*pro-life and pro-choice
*etc., etc.

Just as the world has numerous different colors, a few of which are pictured below, we humans enjoy numerous different views.

Furthermore, just as the image above only depicts a few of the immense variety of colors on Earth, any individual human can only assimilate a small portion of the immense amount of information available. No one knows all the facts. Indeed, it's been said that colors themselves are an illusion, but comprehending that may be beyond my limited knowledge.

We can seek to learn more and to properly apply what we learn. And while we'll never learn it all, we can at least accept that others may know things we don't, and accept that even where they may be wrong, we need to disagree without resorting to name-calling, violence, or disrespectful shouting.

Perhaps the most publicized divide in the United States is the one between liberals and conservatives. The organization Braver Angels is one group seeking to keep lines of communication open between the two. Several other groups seek to do so too.

We may never come to agreement on all issues. But we can at least seek to listen respectfully to the viewpoints of others, seek to understand where they’re coming from, and seek to express our own viewpoints respectfully. We can ask questions to learn more about where they’re coming from. At the least we can seek to disagree without arguing. In many cases a compromise can be reached that improves things for both groups.

One hot-button issue for me is abortion. I am strongly pro-life, opposed to abortion in almost all cases.

Below I use the pro-life vs. pro-choice dispute as an example of how to find common ground.

Ways to Find Common Ground on the Pro-life Versus Pro-Choice Issue

On the pro-life vs. pro-choice issue, I am strongly pro-life. But I can seek to sympathize and empathize with those who are pro-choice.

Even pro-life persons typically know that persons who are victims of rape, or who suddenly find themselves pregnant at a time when they lack the fiscal, emotional, or physical maturity to be a parent face a difficult situation.

Even pro-choice persons desire to avoid the risk, pain, and expense of an abortion if possible.

Pro-life and pro-choice persons can work together (depending on their particular views) to:

*prevent or at least substantially reduce rape,
*prevent or at least substantially reduce incest,
*prevent or at least substantially reduce irresponsible casual sexual intercourse,
*promote consistent use of effective contraceptives appropriate for particular beliefs,
*educate persons about adoption as an option for undesired children,
*inform persons of safe places to anonymously drop-off newborns as one resort,
*and to help out in numerous other ways to help solve the problems instead of just arguing.

Closing Thoughts

We can seek common ground on other issues in addition to abortion. But each of us reflects our unique background, heredity, and environment. Each of us have biases of some type (and yes, that includes me).

Furthermore, greed, selfishness, and laziness are obstacles to fairness. But if those with abundant resources seek to share with the needy, and each of us work productively at some task(s), we can make this world a much better place.

Monetary donations to charities like the American Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, CARE, local food banks, homeless shelters, job training programs, etc., can help enormously.

Volunteering time and talents when appropriate can help in numerous ways too. Each of us are gifted in various ways to help out.

We can meet and communicate respectfully with others who differ from us.

If you or I know of a particular need that we are able to meet better than others, we can help out by providing specific help to friends, neighbors, relatives, and/or others. In some cases we as individuals can alleviate problems in a way than an organized charity doesn’t.

However, commitment is key. We need to commit to wanting to listen with an open mind, wanting to learn, wanting to find ways to serve, and wanting to be fair. Together we can make this world a much better place. Let’s seek to do it.