Abandon Affirmative Action, But Only If You Care (EP. 346)

Introduction

Yes, Affirmative Action is reverse racism, supposedly intended to right historical wrongs. Any racism, reverse or not, is wrong. Today’s episode is not an argument against reverse racism. Today’s episode is an appeal to common sense and a clear knowledge of what works–and what does not work. People, individuals or groups, succeed when they are motivated, work hard over time, and know what to do when they do the hard work. They grow strong, succeed, and know how to lead others in the same direction. Handouts, regardless of the motivation, produce the opposite effect. 

That is the subject of today’s 10 minute episode.

Continuing

This issue goes to the heart of how differently we think, or at least how we think we think differently. Despite the political and media swirl, we all know, don’t we, that growth comes when a person digs in, despite what the odds are, works hard over time and moves forward. And helps others to do the same. That’s why the best parenting includes lessons in earning money to get the toy or video game the child wants. Or getting good grades before being granted a privilege. Only when anyone, adult or child, has skin in the game will they take the game seriously. 

How many times have we heard someone, perhaps a parent, say, “Life is not fair,” perhaps in response to someone saying, “But that’s not fair!” Outside of the law, where everything must be fair, life is indeed not fair. Yet here we are. And it is our job to deal successfully with life the way it is, not the way we wish it to be. 

Followers of Revolution 2.0™ know that we believe that life is indeed hard, as it should be, as it must be. Dealing successfully with the hard parts of life is the only way we learn and grow, and in turn become able to help others learn and grow. Many believe, and they are hard at work selling this belief, that life is supposed to be easy, and if it is not easy, that is prima facie proof that oppressors have made life hard for the oppressed, AKA victims, and that the victims are entitled to compensation, ideally from the oppressors. 

You know that I generally resist labels, but sometimes they are necessary, as with distinguishing one type of vegetable from another. Who writes round soft red things and long yellow things with thick skin on their grocery lists? We write tomatoes and bananas. Labels can be useful. In the main, it is the Democrats pushing the view that life ought to be easy, and that if it is not, the government must jump in and make things right–with taxpayer money. They have not come right out and used the word easy, but they have danced all around it by supporting multiple and growing government programs all while signaling future growth in this area by repeating slogans like, “Healthcare (and add what you want here) is a human right.” And selling notions like college ought to be free and that any entry level job should pay enough to support a family at above the poverty line. 

Republicans are not pushing the life is hard lesson; they are deathly afraid to spit out this truth. Q. After all, who wants to try to attract voters by selling hard versus easy? A. Everyone should, because that is what works. And if we care about people, as we all should, then must we push, teach, and encourage, what works. And resist and discourage what does not work. Anyone selling the needed life is hard lesson will make themselves a target for insults ranging from you hate the poor to being a Nazi or white supremacist. But doing the right thing is, well, hard. And the inherent unfairness of life is one of the many reasons that life is indeed hard. 

Today’s Key Point: It is not our job to work to make life inherently fair, or to make it overall easy. We have two jobs: 1. Love, help, and encourage others to see that life is hard just as it needs to be, and to help them do what needs to be done to succeed in life the way life truly is and 2. Look for and support others, e.g., teachers, politicians, coaches, etc., who see what we see, embrace it and prepare us and the nation to be strong and succeed. To make good lives for ourselves and others, despite any unfairness, despite the odds. 

Affirmative Action, in its many forms, treats people it purports to help like victims, and creates generational dependency along with ethnic entitlement. Until the Biden Administration, Affirmative Action in areas like education, including acceptance, grades and graduation, and work, both hiring and promotion, was losing much of its appeal due to the obvious reverse racism. Perhaps two wrongs really do not make a right. So fans of AA came up with a new argument: Blacks do not have the wealth, not the income, the wealth, that whites do because historical racism did not allow their ancestors to generate wealth to leave behind. And that’s true. But the fix is not to use money to correct that unfairness. The fix is to love, encourage and support–to come alongside those who are behind for any reason. And to encourage, plead if necessary, for politicians to start sending the same message, and to put policies in place that support that message. Speaking of money, my money says that if we took all of the cash, all of the wealth, in the US and divided it up equally (the ultimate in redistribution), that in 5 years almost all of the population would be right back where they started; wealthy, poor, or in between. Not all, but almost all. The key is not to redistribute money, but to share motivation, a strong work ethic, respect for proper authority, and a lifelong love of learning. Do that and the wealth will redistribute itself–and the overall amount will grow dramatically. We will not be just sharing the pizza, but growing it indefinitely–with no limits–all while sharing.

Benjamin Franklin was onto something when he said, “When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the Republic.” Let’s avoid that and vote ourselves personal responsibility, not free money. 

Speaking of personal responsibility, it does not stand alone; the two main and interdependent principles at Revolution 2.0 are:

1. Personal Responsibility; take it, teach it and,
2. Be Your Brother’s Keeper. The answer to the biblical question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” is a ringing, unequivocal “Yes.” There is no other answer.

Where do you stand? What are you going to do? Remember, it does not matter where you stand if you don’t do anything. You can start by subscribing to these episodes, and encouraging others to subscribe with you.

As always, whatever you do, do it in love. Without love, anything we do is empty. 1 Corinthians 16:14

Contact

As we get ready to wrap up, please do respond in the episodes with comments or questions about this episode or anything that comes to mind, or connect with me on Twitter, @willluden, Facebook, facebook.com/will.luden, and LinkedIn, www.linkedin.com/in/willluden/. And you can subscribe on your favorite device through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you listen to podcasts.

If you liked today’s episode, other episodes or the revolution2-0.org site itself, visit the store for some fun items, comment, subscribe, and encourage others to subscribe with you. Each One Reach One will help spread the word about Revolution 2.0™.

Will Luden, coming to you from 7,200’ in Colorado Springs.

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Will Luden

I am Will Luden, the creator and host of Revolution 2.0. We do not advocate for people or parties here—we advocate for principles and policies. Those that include having a moral compass, searching for and implementing common goals, and using a combination of facts and unbiased, agenda-free reasoning.

The core, driving principles at Revolution 2.0, are:

1. Personal Responsibility. Take it, teach it.
2. Be Your Brother’s Keeper. Taking care of our brothers and sisters.

If we apply those two core principles simultaneously, we will inevitably be on the right path.

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