Equal Outcomes vs. Equal Opportunities

Equal Outcomes vs. Equal Opportunities

Description:

If you take all the change out of your pocket and look at the tail side of each coin

you will find written in Latin the motto of the United States of America; 'e pluribus

Unum'. It states : 'out of many, one'. This statement suggests that there are many

different cultures that comprise our country, and all these cultures are as one. The United

States political system has enacted numerous policies in order to ensure the equality

promised by this motto among all the people of this Nation. Due to the discrimination

that is sadly, still a part of this society, blacks, Indians (of both vernaculars), Hispanics,

women, gays, and the disabled are sometimes denied the opportunity to the outcomes

enjoyed by the majority. Policy makers fight every day concerning a persons ability to

receive the same equal opportunities and equal results (or outcomes) as everyone else.

It is important to distinguish the difference between equal opportunity and equal

outcomes. An employer who offers equal opportunity does not discriminate based on a

persons race, creed, or disability. That employer makes sure that everyone has a chance to

achieve a certain outcome. Equal outcomes is making sure that everyone ends up at the

same place. For instance if a crippled man and a Olympic runner were to race, in order to

achieve an equal outcome the crippled man would have to start well before the Olympic

runner. Equal outcomes is rooted in discrimination because it looks at a persons race,

creed, or disability in order to place them where they can finish the race at the same time.

Each of these policies have beneficial effects on our society. Equal Opportunity

employment has made it possible...

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...outlines the fact that America thinks that it is unjust to discriminate. The

onslaught of quotas was merely a sign that society was progressing rapidly. Sadly, it is the

continuation of quotas and equality policies that is hindering the ability of the minority to

be accepted in the workplace. An unqualified minority employee's achievements are

stigmatized by the fact that someone out there could do a better job. That is not equality,

that is feeling below the majority, further entrenching the invisible hand of racism. If

equality programs were discontinued, it would dissolve the antagonism that white males

feel towards those who might be unqualified, and would create goodwill instead. And

furthermore, living in a merit based competitive world would give minorities the self

esteem to destroy the barriers, and create a world where success of the many, is won.