Ms. OBrien, I think perhaps many people think the "affirmative action" program is the same thing as a "quota" program.
It is not a "quota" program. A "quota" requires the institution to respond in a certain, predetermined way according to some law and allow a sufficient number of applicants into the institution so that a predetermined rat…
Ms. OBrien, I think perhaps many people think the "affirmative action" program is the same thing as a "quota" program.
It is not a "quota" program. A "quota" requires the institution to respond in a certain, predetermined way according to some law and allow a sufficient number of applicants into the institution so that a predetermined ratio of the minority group is admitted.
"Affirmative action" simply requires that the institution make an affirmative attempt that allows members of a minority group to apply. This does not mean the institution is required to accept these people. No ratio of minority people is required to be admitted.
The 1978 Bakke case in California was kicked around in the press like a football with no attempt made to clarify the issues. The public was misled badly. Unfortunately the right wing haters were able to define the "affirmative action" program, in the minds of the public, as though it were a "quota" program. It is not.
As for problems vs. difficulties; I think there is a difference. Whether we like it or not, in this age of Logical Positivism, some difficulties simply have no solution in any final, realistic, Positivistic sense. The European Age of Enlightenment has left us in the West with the belief that all problems have solutions and human beings are able to find those solutions through rational, scientific methods. This just is not so. It is wishful thinking. It is why even some scientists will say they are Christians and believe in the Christian god. These scientists simply cannot accept that there is no such thing as a beginning to the existence of the universe. Neither can they accept that there is no end to it. There is no such thing as a "Big Bang." But they believe there is. To them, there must be an answer to the questions: When and how did the universe begin? Everywhere they look they see that things they are capable of perceiving, all things they are aware of, have beginnings and endings. Therefore they expect the universe to be the same. They are Logical Positivists. They cannot accept that there is no such thing as time. Time is a reification of language. Created by language. But they cannot accept this.
We may not like it. But there are problems we cannot understand or solve. These phenomena may be called: difficulties. But they are not in any meaningful sense: problems. Questions exist which we cannot answer in any meaningful way. Unless we want to rely on mysticism. Which too many of us do.
I think this is why Bertrand Russell said the world needs tolerance. Someone should convince the insane religious fanatics in the near East, especially orthodox Jews who are waiting for the Messiah and Evangelical Christians who are waiting for the second coming. These people believe there is an inevitable ending and the world is approaching it. Muslims do not believe this. I should add; none of my Jewish relatives or friends are orthodox. None of my Christian relatives or friends are evangelical. I have Muslim friends. But, to my knowledge, I have no Muslim relatives. I am an atheist. The most powerful, memorable character in ROMEO AND JULIET was Mercutio who said: "A plague o' both your houses."
Ms. OBrien, I think perhaps many people think the "affirmative action" program is the same thing as a "quota" program.
It is not a "quota" program. A "quota" requires the institution to respond in a certain, predetermined way according to some law and allow a sufficient number of applicants into the institution so that a predetermined ratio of the minority group is admitted.
"Affirmative action" simply requires that the institution make an affirmative attempt that allows members of a minority group to apply. This does not mean the institution is required to accept these people. No ratio of minority people is required to be admitted.
The 1978 Bakke case in California was kicked around in the press like a football with no attempt made to clarify the issues. The public was misled badly. Unfortunately the right wing haters were able to define the "affirmative action" program, in the minds of the public, as though it were a "quota" program. It is not.
As for problems vs. difficulties; I think there is a difference. Whether we like it or not, in this age of Logical Positivism, some difficulties simply have no solution in any final, realistic, Positivistic sense. The European Age of Enlightenment has left us in the West with the belief that all problems have solutions and human beings are able to find those solutions through rational, scientific methods. This just is not so. It is wishful thinking. It is why even some scientists will say they are Christians and believe in the Christian god. These scientists simply cannot accept that there is no such thing as a beginning to the existence of the universe. Neither can they accept that there is no end to it. There is no such thing as a "Big Bang." But they believe there is. To them, there must be an answer to the questions: When and how did the universe begin? Everywhere they look they see that things they are capable of perceiving, all things they are aware of, have beginnings and endings. Therefore they expect the universe to be the same. They are Logical Positivists. They cannot accept that there is no such thing as time. Time is a reification of language. Created by language. But they cannot accept this.
We may not like it. But there are problems we cannot understand or solve. These phenomena may be called: difficulties. But they are not in any meaningful sense: problems. Questions exist which we cannot answer in any meaningful way. Unless we want to rely on mysticism. Which too many of us do.
I think this is why Bertrand Russell said the world needs tolerance. Someone should convince the insane religious fanatics in the near East, especially orthodox Jews who are waiting for the Messiah and Evangelical Christians who are waiting for the second coming. These people believe there is an inevitable ending and the world is approaching it. Muslims do not believe this. I should add; none of my Jewish relatives or friends are orthodox. None of my Christian relatives or friends are evangelical. I have Muslim friends. But, to my knowledge, I have no Muslim relatives. I am an atheist. The most powerful, memorable character in ROMEO AND JULIET was Mercutio who said: "A plague o' both your houses."