11.03.2015 10:07 AM

LBJ on affirmative action

Some Canadian media pundits should reflect on his words. June 1965, at Howard University commencement. 

You do not wipe away the scars of centuries by saying: ‘now, you are free to go where you want, do as you desire, and choose the leaders you please.’ You do not take a man who for years has been hobbled by chains, liberate him, bring him to the starting line of a race, saying, “you are free to compete with all the others,” and still justly believe you have been completely fair… This is the next and more profound stage of the battle for civil rights. We seek not just freedom but opportunity—not just legal equity but human ability—not just equality as a right and a theory, but equality as a fact and as a result.

10 Comments

  1. W the K - No, not Warren says:

    And that very last phrase is what the right has objected to all along.

  2. albertaD says:

    Moving words.

  3. Ronald O'Dowd says:

    Warren,

    So much for the “Fair” Elections Act and its three pieces of identification.

  4. Dork in East York says:

    I think that due to Trudeau seeking gender parity, and the need for regional balance, there will be a lot of glowering from previous “shoe-ins” like Adam Vaughan, Bill Blair and Marco Mendicino tomorrow.

    • Nicole says:

      I don’t think Marco expects a cabinet position. He’s a rookie MP and won the nomination in spite of not having support from Trudeau’s crowd. Now Adam Vaughan and Bill Blair…. That’s another story.

  5. Sean says:

    …and LBJ promptly appointed African Americans to 15% of his cabinet posts… and 50% women too! uhhhh……

  6. Maps Onburt says:

    The problem with affirmative action is that it puts less qualified people into key leadership roles which ultimately hurts Canada. I’ve worked in a large company in early days when this was put into effect and it resulted in a decade of poor results because a disproportionate number of key execs were frankly unqualified for the responsibilities they were given. I have absolutely no issue with working for a woman and by far the best leader I ever worked for was a woman, but I’ve also worked for some who obviously wouldn’t have been qualified for a level two below mine if it weren’t for AA. It demoralizes the other employees and makes the organization perform worse but most importantly devalues the accomplishment of the women who won it on merit. This is nonsense of political correctness.

    • Matthew says:

      Doesn’t matter Maps, Liberals have made Affirmative Action and the idea that certain members of our society perpetual victims they’ve made it a cottage industry.

  7. e.a.f. says:

    here we are 50 yrs later and some still don’t get it.

    guess that “old red neck from Texas” was still way ahead of those at that paper. oh, well, lets wait another century. In the meantime good for Trudeau.

  8. MF says:

    Wonder who wrote that for him.

    This was after he executed JFK I see.

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