Kinship

To the editor:

President Trump's ending of affirmative action in favor of "merit-based hiring" is nothing more than an act to strengthen the already unofficial affirmative action program that favors white men ("Federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff being put on leave this week," The Chief, Jan. 24). Though considering his past and present nominations, it also includes white women.

Affirmative action was created to counter a society where most employers "coincidentally" always found the most qualified job applicants to be white and male. The white male employees who wanted an unfair advantage had no problem with not having to compete with women and those with darker skin for the better jobs. Those whites who were fair-minded supported the Civil Rights Movement.

Discrimination actually favors the rich more than anyone else. Cheaper salaries for those discriminated against actually makes it easier for them to keep the salaries of white men down as well.

Many who claimed to believe in white supremacy knew that they were lying. They did not want to clean their own homes or pick their own cotton. The movie "12 Years A Slave" is a true story. A talented Black musician was not kidnapped and forced into slavery because they felt his violin playing was inferior. 

Diversity should also be a matter of preference. Good relationships, both platonic and romantic, are hard to find. I wouldn't want to limit myself to "my own kind." Actually, I consider "my own kind" to be good people of all colors, nationalities and sexes. Just because I'm white and Jewish does not mean I consider Benjamin Netanyahu to be "my own kind."

Richard Warren