Affirmative Action

I am what most people would call "white." I have an advanced degree from a private university. I have just about as much white straight male privilege as anyone from an economically challenged area could dream of. I don't rub shoulders with economic elites while eating caviar, but I obviously have far more advantage than most others.

I love affirmative action. Here's why: every time I apply for a job or a raise, and I do NOT get it, I really have to ask myself "is this because I am a white straight male?" I applied for a union organizing position in 2010 where they said "minorities and women strongly encouraged to apply." Not only did I write a Master's thesis on organizing worker cooperatives and have management experience, I had the inside scoop on a very specific contract this very specific union was after.

I didn't even get an interview, not so much as an e-mail response or a phone call. You MUST be asking "is this because I was white straight male?" And that's great. It's AMAZING!

Why? Because every time any minority doesn't get a job or a raise they ask for, they have to ask themselves "is this because I was not a white straight male?" The ONLY realistic way to make THAT fair is to make white straight males have to ask themselves the same question. Affirmative action accomplishes that.

I have yet to relay my opinion to any of my many minority friends and have them say "wow, that's great! You are right, that's affirmative action is all about!" Instead they usually reply along the lines of "Wow, that is horrible. See, none of us should have to go through that!"

But if those of us with highly significant white straight male privilege are supposed to be helping those without it, as well as fighting against that privilege, how are we supposed to do that without any empathy or sympathy towards those that feel discriminated against? Even though it is a minuscule fraction of the discrimination of those without white straight male privilege deal with, this small taste of indignation gives us much more opportunity to develop sympathy than we would otherwise have.