Shak_Celts wrote:celtics543 wrote:Shak_Celts wrote:
You are one person, now imagine all the people passed over or never given the opportunity for the position all the other white men had. You say she is doing better than you would have, had they stuck to the status quo, you would have never known that. You are thinking micro when you should be thinking macro.
You say they knew they were giving the job to a woman anyway but at least you got an interview. They gave you their time, that they didn't give any others (your words), you were SEEN.
We have to fight just to be seen. Black Lives Matter is about just that, we want consideration.
Also, "minorities" aren't making things about race, religion, sex, etc. it's been that way. If things have been this way from the beginning and shining a light on it makes "you" uncomfortable, that means "you" were comfortable as long as it was just about "your" race, sex, and religion!
That's what I'm saying. We aren't at a point yet where anything can be assumed. We need to be fighting for more diversity in the workplace and more opportunities for those who are overlooked. I was just giving an example of when I was overlooked based on something that I can't change about myself. I was trying to put myself in the shoes of people who that happens to on a daily basis. I'll never understand what it's like to be a minority where I live. My point is that I hope for a world where things that you're born with, race, gender, religion etc aren't important factors in getting an opportunity because we've realized how ridiculous it is to make those factors.
I'm sorry if my original post made it seem like I was blaming minorities for making things about race, religion, sex etc that wasn't my intent. I think everyone unfortunately defaults to those things. The dream for me would be a world where none of those things mattered. The content of character would be the defining characteristic of a human being, not their skin color, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or anything else.
I can't possibly understand what it's like to be a minority in this country. But I am doing my best to learn and to help in the fight so that they can be seen and given the same opportunities. Shining a light on things doesn't make me uncomfortable, it needs to happen and it's going to be ugly and full of harsh realities for a lot of people but in the end the playing field needs to be even.
If my post came off as anything else then I apologize. The intent was to unify and try to understand. I understand lots of minorities get passed over for jobs and opportunity all the time. It's not fair. It needs to be fixed. My whole point is that I hope I live long enough to see the day where it's become so commonplace for equity to exist that no one even thinks about race, religion, gender etc.
I think this will be my last post in this thread. I genuinely want to learn about this topic though and will continue reading the replies. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this important discussion.
You don't have to apologize for your comment. It's a discussion. Why stop talking? A discussion requires at least two people, we don't have to agree on everything. I can talk to myself but I prefer talking to "you."
I talk to proud racists all the time and I doubt whether we agree on the color of the sky. I don't have anything against you, so I know we should be able to hold a conversation no matter which side we come from.
Edit: I'll dive deeper into your comment if you are open to discussion.
I'd love to continue talking with you, you seem like a great person. I'm hoping you don't think I'm a "proud racist". I like to believe I'm far from that. I'm just a white guy who lives in Maine who realizes he has a lot to learn about diversity. I will take the ignorant tag because that's what I believe I am. I'm ignorant to what it's like for people who didn't grow up as part of the majority. I'd like to believe there are far less racists than there are just people who are ignorant to the struggles of groups of people they don't belong to.
Thanks for being cool on this topic and helping to educate me.