Only A Pawn In Their Game - Is Affirmative Action Still Necessary?

I read a recent article entitled "A More Diverse County" in The Gazette of Colorado Springs (Tuesday, August 15, 2006 http://www.gazette.com/display.php?id=1320527 ), where the author explained, based upon the latest U.S. Census Bureau statistics, that roughly half the population increase in our county (El Paso) was due to the rapidly rising growth of all its ethnic / racial minority communities. This was good news, because with the influx of that sort of diversity comes the opportunity for the rise of tolerance and positive social change.But oddly-enough, the theme of several comments posted under that article skirted the main topic, bypassed the sticky subject of immigration and somehow landed upon Affirmative Action. The mini-debate questioned whether or not there even should be minority hiring quotas imposed anywhere anymore - and one poor fellow told how due to these, he became a victim of "Reverse Discrimination".! - being the political activist for Equality that I am - could not help but jump into the ring on this matter because I could sense that had the different bloggers met face to face, some sort of verbal or even physical brouhaha might have ensued. I felt sorry for them. Both sides seemed to be incapable of looking beyond the chessboard of the old paradigms and cliches set by politicians and special interest groups when trying to wrestle with this still quite controversial issue. From my perspective they became (as Bob Dylan once put it in a 1964 social justice statement ballad), "Only A Pawn In Their Game".The whole problem that creates the need for such programs as Affirmative Action is certain peoples' insecurities, ignorance and prejudice - plain and simple! If those who did the hiring were truly objective and fair, the jobs would then go to those who were actually best qualified for them, instead of to Mr/Ms Who Knows The Friend Of Whom - or to whomever happens to not "disrupt" the dull sameness of an office with their "unconventional" diversity. (Even if that diversity is something that is part and parcel of their very being; i.e. who or what they truly are!)I see exactly why Affirmative Action was invented - to right a grievous wrong society had perpetrated against minority groups. Since employers callously refused to do the right thing when qualified minorities appeared at their door, the courts had to FORCE them to do it. But when push comes to shove, would you feel better if you got a job because you were darned good at it - or because someone had to fulfill a quota? How would you EVER know if you were truly qualified in your career field under a quota?Being a native West Virginian who happens to hail from a mixed ethnic heritage, I have suffered under discrimination all my life. No one can fool me on this subject. I can smell bigotry a mile off - and have even done my own investigations to verify that the prejudice I endured was indeed genuine. So when I came "out" as Transgender totally full-time in this city, all that did was commence the sequel to that sad and inexcusably oppressive story.It’s no secret that I lost my 22-year career based purely due to anti-Transgender bias - but have I called for quotas that force every employer to hire a certain amount of Gays, Lesbians or Trans-people?Not yet... But after 7 months without work and 90 job opportunity rejections plus the prospect of my unemployment checks ceasing at the end of September, I shall be hard-pressed not to make such a push legally or politically, rather than starve under a bridge while the bigots smugly hiss "Good Riddance!"Affirmative Action is not a perfect solution - but when people continually cannot be counted upon to hire fairly... when mere outward appearance trumps copious skilled experience inside the small minds of ignorant, insecure employers; it just may be the only game in town. I guarantee that you’d play that card too, dear reader, if you could - when you're an outcast in survival mode facing utter destitution.Sincerely,_ Nancy-Jo Morris