Science is so racist

[Silock]

http://blogs.chron.com/sciguy/archiv...ck_hole_a.html

A special meeting about Dallas County traffic tickets turned tense and bizarre this afternoon.

County commissioners were discussing problems with the central collections office that is used to process traffic ticket payments and handle other paperwork normally done by the JP Courts.

Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield, who is white, said it seemed that central collections "has become a black hole" because paperwork reportedly has become lost in the office.

Commissioner John Wiley Price, who is black, interrupted him with a loud "Excuse me!" He then corrected his colleague, saying the office has become a "white hole."

That prompted Judge Thomas Jones, who is black, to demand an apology from Mayfield for his racially insensitive analogy.

Mayfield shot back that it was a figure of speech and a science term.

[markk]

Originally Posted by wutamess

Hence...

"We have to work double hard."
"Whites (in general) are born with silver spoons".

Thanks for your example. It's valid for all levels of emplyoment.

Let me rephrase that.

I think they had been TOLD that the white dude who interviewed them was going to be a racist, so they had to outperform everyone else just to be considered. Even though that was positively not the truth.

They came in with that misconception. But I like people who feel like they have something to prove. I hope everyone who ever works for me feels that way.

[wutamess]

Originally Posted by Donger

That's it? Is what I wrote not correct?

It's really hard to take you serious because you do your question asking tactic on everyone like you're really trying to understand.

Try making your point and then I can honestly respond... Stop asking me open ended ?s. You're not my shrink. I know what the problem is. It's not up to you to get it out of me.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by vailpass

Nicely done, good to see you are getting something from your classwork beside a grade.
As always, the truth is closest when you mix statistics with on-the-ground experience.
Good luck on your PA major, the country could use a whole lot of qualified PAs.

Yeah, my professor for the class actually headed up one of the departments at the Bureau of Labor Statistics in D.C., so he had a ton of stuff for us.

I think the best thing I'm getting out of all my classes is that anything you want to know can probably be found on a government website somewhere . They keep records and statistics on freaking EVERYTHING. It's nutty.

Thanks for the well-wishes on PA, but I'm unfortunately not going to stay in that major. I'm doing undergrad for PA and then going to get my MBA. The public sector just isn't competitive enough with wages (although the job security is top-notch). I'll definitely have to start out in the public sector somewhere, though.

[markk]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

California (and Los Angeles, in particular) is very racially diverse and I don't think that race is seen as a "liability". At least, that hasn't been my experience or my wife's (and she's Asian).

Well, let's strip this down a little bit. I don't think anyone here thinks that all races other than white male caucasian are disadvantageous. I think what most people are saying is that they feel black people are much, much worse off than any other race in particular when it comes to finding work simply because of that.

[wutamess]

Originally Posted by markk

Let me rephrase that.

I think they had been TOLD that the white dude who interviewed them was going to be a racist, so they had to outperform everyone else just to be considered. Even though that was positively not the truth.

They came in with that misconception. But I like people who feel like they have something to prove. I hope everyone who ever works for me feels that way.

No they've been told to pull your freaking pants up... Stop wearing white t-shirts... speak clearly and don't use slang... smile... Say yes Don't shake your head or yeah or yup... wear a suit & tie... no baggy clothes... cut your hair... etc.

We're not taught that the hiring person is racists... we're taught that we have to bring our A game in order to impress (the white guy) so that he'll know we're not the thug but instead we're competent enough to do the job.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by wutamess

It's really hard to take you serious because you do your question asking tactic on everyone like you're really trying to understand.

Try making your point and then I can honestly respond... Stop asking me open ended ?s. You're not my shrink. I know what the problem is. It's not up to you to get it out of me.

I haven't asked you a single question that is open ended. I've been asking you for your opinions because I do want to understand. If you don't want to help educate me, fine.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by wutamess

No they've been told to pull your freaking pants up... Stop wearing white t-shirts... speak clearly and don't use slang... smile... Say yes Don't shake your head or yeah or yup... wear a suit & tie... no baggy clothes... cut your hair... etc.

We're not taught that the hiring person is racists... we're taught that we have to bring our A game in order to impress (the white guy) so that he'll know we're not the thug but instead we're competent enough to do the job.

I think that would be good advice for any applicant, regardless of skin color.

Again, it seems like you are saying that blacks assume that whites are racist. Is that correct or not?

[RNR]

Originally Posted by wutamess

Hence...

"We have to work double hard."
"Whites (in general) are born with silver spoons".

Bullshit

[wutamess]

Originally Posted by Donger

I haven't asked you a single question that is open ended. I've been asking you for your opinions because I do want to understand. If you don't want to help educate me, fine.

K... I'll give it a shot.
Just curious... do you have an opinion in any of this?

What are you really trying to find out?
~ Lunch time (1 hr)

[Iowanian]

Can someone get me Russel Simmons' address?

I would like to apply for Def Comedy Jam. I kid.



I've never known wutamess to be a supporter of the handout. For the most part, I've always respected his opinion in these discussions and thought he was very responsible and level headed.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by wutamess

K... I'll give it a shot.
Just curious... do you have an opinion in any of this?

What are you really trying to find out?
~ Lunch time (1 hr)

I think my questions have been very straightforward. Do you want me to repeat them?

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Silock

Yeah, my professor for the class actually headed up one of the departments at the Bureau of Labor Statistics in D.C., so he had a ton of stuff for us.

I think the best thing I'm getting out of all my classes is that anything you want to know can probably be found on a government website somewhere . They keep records and statistics on freaking EVERYTHING. It's nutty.

Thanks for the well-wishes on PA, but I'm unfortunately not going to stay in that major. I'm doing undergrad for PA and then going to get my MBA. The public sector just isn't competitive enough with wages (although the job security is top-notch). I'll definitely have to start out in the public sector somewhere, though.

You say true. Too damn bad, strong PAs in the public sector appear on the way to becoming a rarity.
Still, who can blame you? Keep your head down and finish if you can, go all the way through the MBA without taking a year off.

[wutamess]

Originally Posted by Donger

I think that would be good advice for any applicant, regardless of skin color.

Again, it seems like you are saying that blacks assume that whites are racist. Is that correct or not?

No... we're saying that they're more apt to hire within their own (which is somewhat human nature). I'd be more likely to hire someone that looks like me. For all of you saying you'd have no bias I tip my hat to you.

It's not that I'm racist... it's that the cultural boundaries aren't there. It makes sense (racist or not) which is why AA would curtail it.

[markk]

Originally Posted by wutamess

We're not taught that the hiring person is racists... we're taught that we have to bring our A game in order to impress (the white guy) so that he'll know we're not the thug but instead we're competent enough to do the job.

I see that as a positive thing. This was a retail job so anyone hired would have access to inventory and money regularly, and with little oversight frankly. I wouldn't have hired someone I wouldn't trust leaving my wallet on my desk while they were sitting in there.

it's kind of annoying that people would think I can't tell the difference between a thug and a good young adult through the course of the interview. If someone was a definite no, you know that within the first 5 minutes. but if that misconception gets them to take the position seriously I'll live with it I guess.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by wutamess

Your statements hold truth... But since the Good Ol' Boy network is mostly made up of an inner circle of white males, who do you think will be more apt to get IN the network?

That's a very difficult question for me to answer because I'm not part of that network (and I'd never want to be - I don't care for that segment of our society).

But I think we can all agree that with each passing year, the barriers are being broken down a little further. As more and more minorities are attending college, there's more interaction and fraternizing of the people of different races, which in turn leads to more opportunities for everyone. As well as the breaking down of previous stereotypes.