Equal opportunity yes, affirmative action no

sorenbarrett

I was told that affirmative action

was necessary to fix the past

but to me it seems a detraction

for those that feel outcast

 

You don't give winners a boost

Affirmative action is, to be thrown a bone

with a gift, one only feels reduced

we all need to feel good on our own

 

If you can do the job as good as others

then with them you should compete

let all people be equal as brothers

other wise you'll feel you're a cheat

 

Ridiculous you say

But I would ask you

should a midget play in the NBA,

a person with Ebola cook your stew

 

Would you like a blind pilot for your plane

or to operate on you, a retarded physician

an accountant with Acalculia your taxes to maintain

or a pedophile for your child's pediatrition

  • Author: sorenbarrett (Offline Offline)
  • Published: September 9th, 2023 06:57
  • Category: Unclassified
  • Views: 10
  • User favorite of this poem: Teddy.15.
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Comments5

  • Teddy.15

    I most enjoy being unique, as you make such a brilliant point we are all very different and it's better to be, your ebola stew made me chuckle, so to an excellent point, your last stanza so very powerful and thought provoking as a mother it sparked fear. Excellent read excellent subject. šŸ’–

    • sorenbarrett

      Thanks Teddy your review and comments are appreciated and glad that it gave you a chuckle. Now days equality is being extended beyond what it was meant to be to entitlement. This seems wrong to me.

      • Teddy.15

        The life of comedy that I was brought up with, is also gone, šŸ’–

      • Doggerel Dave

        This is a hard one to respond to Soren. Are you sure that equal opportunity exists? If not, how would you achieve it?
        Neat poem executed with your customary skill, but Iā€™m not sure the argument addresses the problem..

        • sorenbarrett

          Thanks Dave for the review. No I agree that equal opportunity will probably never exist but I am for it none the less. The point is the difference between equal opportunity and affirmative action that gives people an advantage just because of skin color, age, gender etc. This I think is countering equal opportunity.

          • Doggerel Dave

            I honestly don't want this discussion heavy, but do need to explore this a little more.
            Affirmative action is (was?) an attempt to address the problem that those with minority skin colour age and gender were/are discriminated against in all manner of ways. I too am not sure it always works/worked well, although I know of no real study which would prove its efficacy or otherwise.
            Any solutions given the prejudices which demonstrably exist in the general population?

          • Bella Shepard

            Point of view well taken, and very well expressed. How to achieve equality that suits everyone will always be a struggle.

            • sorenbarrett

              So right Bella, I threw this out knowing I would probably catch a lot of flack but what the hey it's just an opinion and if one takes things too seriously one can not write poetry. I so appreciate your review and comments.

              • Bella Shepard

                I agree wholeheartedly my friend. It's diversity that keeps up healthy is so many ways.

              • Goldfinch60

                Fine words soren, we are all unique and have our own path to walk in our lives.

                Andy

                • sorenbarrett

                  Thanks Gold for the understanding and kind words

                • L. B. Mek

                  the irony
                  in assuming, 'some'
                  need policy to help them achieve
                  you're inadvertently stating
                  they can't do it otherwise
                  so instead of creating a society
                  with equal playing fields
                  'they'
                  rather stay on their inherited hills
                  look down and offer a rope
                  to those they deem lesser
                  and think of themselves as heroes
                  ...
                  vanity, I name thee charity...

                  • sorenbarrett

                    Thank's LB. This is a side I had not thought about directly and is a great point. Not only do we demean those by making them feel less but aggrandize ourselves by casting a copper to the begger. Your insight is inspiring.



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