Thomas Sowell was someone I had only heard of and after reading this book, I will buy more of his material. For years I have felt that Affirmative Action actually downplayed the achievement of blacks in America instead of lifting the community up and I am a black woman. I knew the title of this book meant that he would have studied other cultures but I hadn't imagined the bad blood such programs brewed in other countries over the same issue that I feel is ruining race relations here.
I want to share a quick story related to this book. In 2004 while on cruise (I was active duty in the Navy at the time), our ship arrived in Port Kelang, Malaysia, not too far from the capital of Kuala Lumpur. A bus took us sailors into the city and cabs were lined up calling for Americans to get into their taxi's despite a group of Al-Quada sympathizers threatening to attack Americans (that problem was taken care of). Me and few friends hop into the cab and the guy seemed so nice but suddenly he went into a racist rant about Chinese people. He also hinted that some cabs refused service to the Chinese. I was shocked. If people of Chinese heritage were born in Malaysia, was it lawful for this man or any other ethnic Malay to refuse service? After reading Thomas Sowell's book, I realize that affirmative action in that country may have played a part in it. I don't want this for our country.
While there are people who may feel that affirmative action was founded to address wrongs, it only uplifts one race over the other. We can do better than this. And let's be frank, no matter how many opportunities you give people, some people, regardless of race are their own worst enemy. Rising from poverty to become something better takes a tenacity and discipline and I should know. I grew up a poor black girl and the eldest of three in the state of Alabama. I now have a bachelor of arts in history that I received from the University of Washington and will start graduate school in the next few months. But my upbringing and the negative things that I have seen brought me to the conclusion that Mr. Sowell is right. Affirmative Action programs do not address past wrongs. The programs brings more headaches and animosity and should just go away.
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