Not Now, Maybe Later

I don’t agree with Mark Hyman now, but I will in the future.

In his latest editorial, Hyman bemoans the “special privileges” given by affirmative action to minorities as he argues in support of the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, an attempt to outlaw the state government from using minority status in any hiring decisions.

Of course, there are some typical Hyman-esque traits to the editorial. He claims the initiative is a “grassroots citizens’ effort,” but in fact it’s spearheaded by Ward Connelly, a regent in California’s state university system, who had helped pass a similar measure in that state. He also shows no awareness that the quotation from Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick that he says is “frightening” was an intentional parody of Alabama governor George Wallace’s promise of never ending segregation during the Civil Rights battle in the 1960s.

But affirmative action is a justifiably controversial issue with good arguments to be made on both sides. It’s an issue that represents a true conflict of inherently important ideals. And I'm certainly willing to grant that there may be ways of changing affirmative action or using other tools that will more effectively help us realize its goals.

As to Hyman’s suggestion characterization of affirmative action as “the sense of entitlement for special privileges,” however, I don’t agree. At least not right now. I will agree with him in the future, however.

I’ll agree that those supporting affirmative action are asking for “special privileges” and “unfair advantages” the same day it’s no longer an economic and social disadvantage in America to be born with darker skin than Hyman’s.

And that’s The Counterpoint.

Hyman Index: 4.17