Affirmative Action Debate: John H. McWhorter (4 of 14)

The motion: "It's time to end affirmative action"

Moderator: Robert Siegel
Speaking for the motion: John H. McWhorter, Terence J. Pell and Joseph C. Phillips
Speaking against the motion: Khin Mai Aung, Kimberlé Crenshaw and Tim Wise

IQ2US marks the launch of Oxford-style debating -- one motion, one moderator, three advocates for the motion, three against -- in New York City. Each evening begins at 6:00P with a complimentary cocktail period. As you enter the theater before the debate starts at 6:45P, you cast your vote for or against the evening's motion. Those results are displayed midway through the debate as each side makes its statements. After all six panelists speak, the audience has a chance to ask the speakers questions and vote again. The debate finishes with brief summations from the panelists, the votes are tallied and a winning side is declared.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• intelligence
• squared
• u.s.
• iq2
• debate
• affirmative
• action
• race
• gender
• equality
• sexism
• racism
• preference
• civil
• rights

[derivativesarecool]

@derivativesarecool By the way, don't be like other people and paint me as a "racist, bigot, or a member of the KKK" because of my First Amendment Right. That type of language, unfortunately commonplace in our colleges and universities, drowns out intellectual conversation.

[derivativesarecool]

@Joeybsmooth The Paris Hilton phenomenon is socio-economic. I can ask the same question. Would Jaden Smith, the son of Mr. Will Smith, be rich and famous today if his father were not rich? No, and it's funny because you don't take a look at the next question. Would a poor white farm boy in Arkansas be rich and famous today if his parents were not rich? No, and in 20 years, he would still be stuck on the farm. You need to remember that 70% of food stamp recipients are white...

[derivativesarecool]

@Joeybsmooth I forgot to mention the fact that redlining isn't "blatant discrimination" from white communities. It's just charging higher interest rates, often much higher (4%-5% on top of the base), to black and Latinos. What I do support are social programs that seek to change the culture of black America. A program like the Khomeini-era family planning initiative instituted by the Iranian government in the 1980s to reduce fertility rates would be a good option to consider.

[derivativesarecool]

@Joeybsmooth The reason why banking firms add a premium if you're black or Latino is a history of default and irresponsibility by blacks and Latinos. Asians, on the other hand, have were generally more responsible in managing their incomes and not "buying Escalades using their house equity as collateral." To change discriminatory practices, one must change the culture and the perception of black American culture. Unfortunately, affirmative action programs do the exact opposite; they stigmatize.

[derivativesarecool]

@Joeybsmooth Redlining is a practice used by banking firms as a cheap screening method to access risk of default. Obtaining information is really really expensive, and banking firms just add a premium, i.e. charging higher interest rates, to blacks and Latinos. In fact, Asians on average are charged lower interest rates than whites. Does that mean that banking firms discriminate against whites? No. The phenomenon of redlining is a result of culture and history and not of race as I will explain.

[Joeybsmooth]

@derivativesarecool

Do to years and years of a redlining , and housing discrimination it is far less likely for black people to be in those good parts of town. Unless you want to act like that did not happen . It is always funny how people act as if the past does not have a major effect on the here and now, that would be like suggesting that Paris Hilton would be as rich and famous today if your parents were not rich.

[derivativesarecool]

@Joeybsmooth The phenomena you mentioned aren't racial, they're socio-economical. Compare a poor white boy living in Arkansas to a rich black teenager living in Malibu. Which student gets spotted? Which of the two areas have more so-called "AP" classes?

[marx7555]

@Joeybsmooth In fact I think that we should get rid of those preferences before we even think of getting rid of AA.

[marx7555]

@Joeybsmooth True, and both of those preferences are unfair and should end. The problem is that only a fraction of white students benefit from those preferences whereas all black students recieve affirmative action. Not to mention that racial preference (Tim wise even admits this in his speech) is the largest boost in points. Yes I agree though that geographic/legacy preferences should end as well.

[Joeybsmooth]

@marx7555

I like who you speak about he points that black kids get .. how about the extra points that white students get . For example if you live in the right part of the state you get points spotted, if you take classes that are offered mostly in white areas you get points spotted .