Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Why no discussion about the need to enforce Affirmative Action?

Not one single one of the presidential candidates, in spite of a lot of talk about racism, has had the moral or political courage to call for the strict and strident enforcement of Affirmative Action where public funds are involved pursuant to Federal Executive Order #11246 signed into law by President Lyndon Baines Johnson even though the enforcement of Affirmative Action is the only known mass remedy to racist discrimination in employment.


Why isn't there the demand that a rider be attached to every single piece of local, state and federal legislation proving Affirmative Action has been enforced before public funds can be allocated for any project?


Why are racists and bigots of every stripe being allowed to squash any mention of Affirmative Action enforcement?


And, why have ALL the foundation-funded outfits refused to call for the enforcement of Affirmative Action as the way to achieving full equality in employment in this country?


Probably for the same reason these foundation-funded outfits refuse to address "standard-of-living," "cost-of-living," the need for peace, making the politicians who talk about "jobs, jobs, jobs" legislatively accountable for attaining and maintaining full employment and why they refuse to take up the need for a National Public Health Care System and a National Public Child Care System both of which would be publicly funded, publicly administered and publicly delivered just like public education.


We have allowed, through our failure to struggle against the reactionary ideas of the neo-liberals who see freedom of the capitalist markets to take over every facet of our lives to dominate the political discussion in this country through bullying, name-calling, intimidation of all forms, to dominate the political life of what is supposed to be "our" country and "our" government.


And it is time to speak up and challenge all of this.