Could Affirmation Action Help Create Equality In Thailand?

[craigt3365]

That's the heart of it. It's a form of litigation. Compensation for the centuries of inhumane bullshit we had to go through in the States. However, it should have been handled differently. For example, had Lincoln not have been shot and each freed Black man been given 40 acres and a mule as was the intention at the time, things would have been different and likely not nessaciated AA.

However , just like with the Native Americans, the White man in the US went back on their promise to the Blacks, and took that away as well. So we fought, continue to fight, and take what ever it is we can get. Only a fool will still think that the govt will ever give us anything freely.

Hell, Americans don't even have free health care, if we cant get that sorted what makes anyone think that they will ever give us reparations.

Thailand is a different story, one based on CLASS more than ethenticity. Money can potentially change your class, giving Thais hope to join the elite society their culture has created for themselves. However in the States there was a time when it mattered not how much cash you had the doors to the upper echelons of society were forever closed to you.

The beauty of it is, I think that day is behind us, due to our struggle. Now we can join any level of society we aspire to with enough success. Perhaps it takes more success than our white American counterparts, but the important thing is that we can still get there.

Why does the government have to give you anything? If you need something, work for it, do it yourself. My father was born on an Indian reservation. His father was a half breed...which is what everybody called him. He brought his kids up properly and all 3 of his sons earned their masters degrees. 2 in public universities with scholarships and the other in the air force (my father). My grandmother was strict and made them study and attend university. AA is not the solution, good parenting is...

P.S. my brother works on the res now. These guys have everything handed to them on a silver platter...and do nothing with what is given them. It's really sad.

[Berkshire]

A common theme on Thai Visa is that the Elite Thais are discriminating against the rural poor, especially those from the Northeast, that the rural poor are more than capable yet under-hired and under-represented in University and Business. I wasn't suggesting that AA is actually a good idea, more so just opening a discussion. However, I think I miss titled the topic, something like "Are HiSo Thais smarter than other Thais?" would have probably resulted in more fun.

Understand. There is inequality in Thailand. But then there's inequality everywhere. The wealth gap in the US is rising rapidly. Unfortunately, that's the nature of the free market and capitalism. You will have inequality because people contribute differently in society. But when there's institutional discrimination (as was the case in the US years ago), then the government has a duty to intercede for the collective good. That's really the problem, though, isn't it? What to do to change years of massive discrimination at every level of society. What the US did was the right thing, but obviously, there were unintended consequences. Many African-Americans I know actually would prefer that AA was done away with today, even though it was needed years ago.

The problem is much different in Thailand. Thailand never brought over thousands of slaves. And Thailand is much older than the US. So there are centuries of inequality built-in. There's also many other issues involved. So what to do? Redistribution of wealth? I have no idea what realistic solutions there are, other than education.

[craigt3365]

A common theme on Thai Visa is that the Elite Thais are discriminating against the rural poor, especially those from the Northeast, that the rural poor are more than capable yet under-hired and under-represented in University and Business. I wasn't suggesting that AA is actually a good idea, more so just opening a discussion. However, I think I miss titled the topic, something like "Are HiSo Thais smarter than other Thais?" would have probably resulted in more fun.

Understand. There is inequality in Thailand. But then there's inequality everywhere. The wealth gap in the US is rising rapidly. Unfortunately, that's the nature of the free market and capitalism. You will have inequality because people contribute differently in society. But when there's institutional discrimination (as was the case in the US years ago), then the government has a duty to intercede for the collective good. That's really the problem, though, isn't it? What to do to change years of massive discrimination at every level of society. What the US did was the right thing, but obviously, there were unintended consequences. Many African-Americans I know actually would prefer that AA was done away with today, even though it was needed years ago.

The problem is much different in Thailand. Thailand never brought over thousands of slaves. And Thailand is much older than the US. So there are centuries of inequality built-in. There's also many other issues involved. So what to do? Redistribution of wealth? I have no idea what realistic solutions there are, other than education.

Great post. Education is the key, including "social" education.

[JurgenG]

Affirmative action is like compensation. We all are familiar with the concept of litigation, compensation, suing and being reimbursed when we are wronged or whatever. That's all AA is; compensation for government neglect or (if you're the US or Australia) a little bit worse than mere 'neglect'.

The reason it's stupid is because it's too easily exploited and misrepresented and (often, sadly) abused by those tasked with implementing it fairly.

AA is not designed to close the gap between rich and poor. It's just a stupid, stupid way to go about it. It's counter-productive, but only due to it's divisive exploitable nature. It's like an ugly mishit lob high up over the net, when the passing shot was there to be hit cleanly for the winner.

That's the heart of it. It's a form of litigation. Compensation for the centuries of inhumane bullshit we had to go through in the States. However, it should have been handled differently. For example, had Lincoln not have been shot and each freed Black man been given 40 acres and a mule as was the intention at the time, things would have been different and likely not nessaciated AA.

However , just like with the Native Americans, the White man in the US went back on their promise to the Blacks, and took that away as well. So we fought, continue to fight, and take what ever it is we can get. Only a fool will still think that the govt will ever give us anything freely.

Hell, Americans don't even have free health care, if we cant get that sorted what makes anyone think that they will ever give us reparations.

Thailand is a different story, one based on CLASS more than ethenticity. Money can potentially change your class, giving Thais hope to join the elite society their culture has created for themselves. However in the States there was a time when it mattered not how much cash you had the doors to the upper echelons of society were forever closed to you.

The beauty of it is, I think that day is behind us, due to our struggle. Now we can join any level of society we aspire to with enough success. Perhaps it takes more success than our white American counterparts, but the important thing is that we can still get there.

Don't look for the "white man" for the answer of your problems. Just watch your classics

"Do the right thing" _ Spike Lee

Coconut Sid: Look at those Korean motherfuc_kers across the street. I betcha they haven't been a year off da motherfuc_king boat before they opened up their own place.

Coconut Sid: It's been about a year.

ML: A motherfuc_king year off the motherfuc_king boat and got a good business in our neighborhood occupying a building that had been boarded up for longer than I care to remember and I've been here a long time.

Sweet Dick Willie: It has been a long time.

Coconut Sid: How long?

ML: Too long! Too long. Now for the life of me, I haven't been able to figger this out. Either dem Koreans are geniuses or we Blacks are dumb.

Same in Thailand, most "Chineses" came to Thailand pushed by crass poverty at home. No need AA, just a bit of hard work

Edited January 28, 2011 by JurgenG

[Huey]

Don't look for the "white man" for the answer of your problems. Just watch your classics

I don't. Just like you wouldn't expect a thief to give you back something he stole from your family. Thats what you have law and govt for.

Anyway, forget about spike lee or any one else, history shows us the govt gives nothing for free to us. Everything we have we fought for, bleed, and so many died for. So I know better to sit on my ass looking for a hand out. Instead I started my own company, I'm building my own business, training my son, building wealth with my family, so that the next generation will have it better than I. Thats how one Triumphs against adversity. But triumph or not don't expect me to forget a debt owed. And the US govt owes it's Black citizens much more than they have paid. However it will never pay unless we make them. Though honestly I think the heat of the men and women who struggled in 50' & 60's is absent in the majority of the youth today. So I guess for now the govt is safe, just a few folks like me, voting, standing behind the few politicians that I think are the lesser of multiple evils. But more then anything else, working the system to climb out of poverty and building a better foundation for my kids than I had.

But I could not have done even this if it were not for AA and will not forget about that.

Thais don't have these issues. Thats why I don't think AA is for them.

Edited January 28, 2011 by Huey

[Heng]

Instead I started my own company, I'm building my own business, training my son, building wealth with my family, so that the next generation will have it better than I.

Same formula everyone else has been using as well. It's just a question of whether it'll be just a few hundred, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or millions.... of individuals in any particular 'group' that makes that most basic decision and has the drive and discipline to follow through before folks start calling it a common 'cultural trait' of any particular group.

[bkk_mike]

I think affirmative action makes sense. Just not the way they did it in the States.

Doing it solely based on colour means that a black person can get into University on lower grades regardless of his background. Back when there was no such thing as a rich black person it sort-of made sense. However is it right for Colin Powell's kids or Obama's kids to get preferential treatment because of the colour of their skin.

They need to make it more complicated. Take into account the family background regardless of colour before letting people in with lower grades. As long as there are a higher proportion of poor blacks, THEY will get preferential treatment. But it will avoid the obvious problem of rich black kids getting an easy ride.

Surveys already show that, in the US, if you went to a prestigious University and are black, recruiters assume you got in with affirmative action.