Why is it that nobody ever makes a huge fuss about the fact that white men

[zbdent]

feel that they're "entitled" to the few (quota) available positions that hard-working minorities have to fight for, and have to work twice (if not more) as hard to be allowed to attain?

[slackmaster]

1. I'm a white man and have no idea what you are ranting about

Please tell me how I feel about whatever it is this thread is about, and why you feel it is appropriate for you to paint with such a broad brush.

:popcorn:

[lumberjack_jeff]

2. self delete... sarcasm too easy to misinterpret.

[slackmaster]

6. Go ahead and IM it to me if you think it was funny

I promise not to misinterpret it.

[lumberjack_jeff]

10. Periodically, some people have an irresistable need to let the hate flag fly.

There's only one acceptable target. Maybe two; thee and me. Bonus points if you don't have a college degree either.

[zbdent]

7. Should have clarified (Right-wing)

I often hear all these (supposedly) white guys on talk shows saying that they were passed up for an unqualified minority (black, hispanic, female, whatever).

Seems that they felt entitled to those positions ... and that the ONLY reason they lost was because some "affirmative action" guy filled the slot ... usually when the guy doesn't get into college ... no way of verifying the veracity of the caller ...

[slackmaster]

8. Oh, OK

I don't listen to talk shows that give air time to idiots.

[zbdent]

9. Usually, the "idiot" comes on with "I'm a lifelong Democrat, but ..."

and they've been hitting the moderate-to-left talks shows with their Heritage Foundation approved scripts ...

[catnhatnh]

11. Ok-it can be a legitimate beef...

I've posted this once before because it did happen.Back in the late seventies I took two firefighter tests for nearby towns within a week of each other in the towns of Fairfield and Stratford Ct within one week of each other...in fact the physical agility tests were held on consecutive days (Saturday and Sunday) only after candidates for both complained that they were held on the same day. Anyhow, my brother was a Stratford Fire Lieutenant and that was the slot I wanted-the Fairfield written tests were earlier and I used those as a pre-test. Both departments were under heavy pressure to enlist females and minorities. In Fairfield after the written and physical tests I was ranked #1 (though I was moved to #2 after oral interview behind a female-the papers did publish an article about a female being ranked #1).In Stratford I felt confidant that one of the 8 open slots was mine.
Under the guidance of the town attorney the town established three lists-females that passed-minorities that passed-and white males that had passed.They would hire one female, then one minority(male) and then white guy....that meant 3 female slots,3 minority slots, and 2 white guy slots would be filled with the next available slot going to a white guy. The total females that passed were 6-1/2 were immediately hired. The Total minority males that passed were 8 and 3 were hired immediately. Of white guys somewhere between 250-275 passed-2 were hired.
I expected to be among the top 3 in white guys-the Fairfield test had as many candidates and I did well there-if not 1 or 2 I figured at least 3rd and the next hire...But the town attorney had one more spin-The scores were marked pass/fail and the scores destroyed and all the candidates were listed after being randomized among their lists to prevent law suits. Among the white candidates I was listed as #258 on the white guy list...or #774 on the next hire list-I wasn't gonna fight fire in my hometown...
I moved on and life went well. My wife who took the test has since died. My brother took an on the job hypertension disability after 35 years. Our kids are adults and not a police record among them. And sometime I wonder about what might have been. And later I worked with my Dad and another brother at a different profession and the experience was precious to me.
But don't tell me it never happened.

[Euromutt]

16. I have a story, but it's nowhere as dramatic

I'm originally from the Netherlands (been in the US for well over 6 years now), and I did my (mandatory) military service in 1993-1994. I got out in late August '94 and went looking for work. Now, under Dutch law, all posts have to be advertised as being open to both male and female candidates. So I'm at the job center, and I spot an opening for receptionist/security person. Hey, just the thing. So I call the number provided and say I'd like to apply.
"Ah, well, you understand, this job involves wearing a uniform."
"I just got out of the army; I have no problem with that."
"But the uniform comes with a skirt."
"I have pretty good legs, and I can shave them."
"Listen, we're looking for a woman."
"But your ad says 'male or female'."
"Well, we're required by law to put that on there."
"Are you suggesting you're not required by law to mean it?"
And then the bitch hung up on me.
I had a brief confab with my case worker from the job center, and I complained that this employer was lying about the opening being an equal opportunity position. And my case worker told me that, unless I was female or an ethnic minoity, nobody was going to enforce that.

You bet I was pissed off. I'm cool with "preference given to women and minorities" but to be told that I couldn't even apply for the job solely because I was male was outright discrimination. I wasn't especially pleased about the government employment agency telling me they didn't enforce anti-discrimination laws either, especially since I'd just given fourteen months of my life to the government.

[notadmblnd]

3. I never got that impression

After all white men do have to compete with other white men to obtain a position. Nobody can just apply to a job and get it simply by being white.

[IDFbunny]

14. You don't know the secret handshake or pass phrase. HA HA

[laststeamtrain]

4. 'Cause there's so damn many of us. n/t

[Xithras]

5. I'm more of a fan of race-neutral hiring processes.

For example, a company near me made news recently with their "new" hiring process. Interviewees are now selected by hiring committees that are not permitted to view the name, sex, age, or racial data of the applicant. Once interviewees are selected, they are asked to come in and are placed in a small room where they are given the standard questions that the committee has pre-selected for the applicants. Here's the kicker. There is nobody else in the room, and the applicants answers are simply being recorded via webcam. That recording is transmitted to a transcriptionist (in Pakistan of all places) and the hiring committee receives a text copy of the applicants answers within a few hours. If any follow-up questions are needed, they are sent by mail or email.

The hiring committee never meets the applicants face to face before choosing them. Racial and other forms of discrimination become a non-issue simply because nobody is aware of anyones race. Or gender. Or sexual orientation. Or age. Or anything else.

[Giuseppe Mazzini]

13. This is exactly how we should hire people!

I would however like to keep the transcription jobs in the US, that is the one thing I would change.

[Euromutt]

17. Reminds me of a story about orchestra auditions

I forget which orchestra, but when they introduced blinding on the auditions (the musicians played behind a screen), and the hiring committee could only judge the candidate by how well they played, the number of female hires rose dramatically. Not quite as easy in other lines of work, admittedly, but your story does illustrate that it can be done.

[flashl]

12. Because no one pays attention to college graduation rates for the past 25 years? nt

[Name removed]

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