2008 Woodie Awards
UNL professors debate anti-discrimination petition
Andrea Vasquez
Issue date: 4/24/08 Section: News
Opposition surrounding the petition seeking to ban gender and race based preferences and discrimination in college admissions in Nebraska was featured in a debate held last night in the Nebraska Union auditorium.
Gerard Harbison, a chemistry professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, spoke in favor of the petition while D'Andra Orey, a UNL associate political science professor, held the opposing position. The two faced off in the debate mediated by the Daily Nebraskan in front of about 60 students, staff and alumni.
"It's not often we get to have an open dialogue," said Bode Alabi, an engineering graduate student and member of the Students United for Nebraska, which hosted the debate. "We wanted to have an open dialogue about the issue."
One of the general issues surrounding affirmative action - which the initiative would prohibit - seemed to be the definition, understanding and interpretation of the program.
Harbison and Orey both pointed out that the conversation surrounding the topic has tended to focus on race minorities and neglected to recognize women's role as well.
"To frame this issue around race," Orey said, "it does it a disservice."
It seemed the debate was over two sides of the same coin as both debaters spoke for fairness, but their approaches and interpretations differed greatly.
On one side, Harbison endorsed equal opportunity among individuals and denounced preferences as a means to the end.
"We need to treat individuals as individuals, not as groups categorized by race, sex, ethnicity (or) religion," Harbison said. "The idea that preferences as we are currently using them is going to move us to equality faster - I simply don't buy that."
Orey told the effect of various legislation nationwide throughout history - from the number of women who graduated high school 50 years ago to the number of minority students attending California universities - and let the numbers speak for him.
"There needs to be these conversations that are held that address the fact instead of these emotion-driven conversations," Orey said. "It (equality) is not going to come if you just wait for this to change. You have to be proactive."
During the debate and the following question and answer session, the debaters addressed issues such as the effect of affirmative action on the university, diversity and equal opportunity.
But at the base of the issue was a discussion about the problems that exist and the most effective way to fix them.
"There is a problem and preferences are not the solution to the problem," said Harbison.
But according to Orey: "To think that we live in a color blind society ... it's the way the world should be, it's the way we wish the world was, but it's not the way the world is."
andreavasquez@dailynebraskan.com
Gerard Harbison, a chemistry professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, spoke in favor of the petition while D'Andra Orey, a UNL associate political science professor, held the opposing position. The two faced off in the debate mediated by the Daily Nebraskan in front of about 60 students, staff and alumni.
"It's not often we get to have an open dialogue," said Bode Alabi, an engineering graduate student and member of the Students United for Nebraska, which hosted the debate. "We wanted to have an open dialogue about the issue."
One of the general issues surrounding affirmative action - which the initiative would prohibit - seemed to be the definition, understanding and interpretation of the program.
Harbison and Orey both pointed out that the conversation surrounding the topic has tended to focus on race minorities and neglected to recognize women's role as well.
"To frame this issue around race," Orey said, "it does it a disservice."
It seemed the debate was over two sides of the same coin as both debaters spoke for fairness, but their approaches and interpretations differed greatly.
On one side, Harbison endorsed equal opportunity among individuals and denounced preferences as a means to the end.
"We need to treat individuals as individuals, not as groups categorized by race, sex, ethnicity (or) religion," Harbison said. "The idea that preferences as we are currently using them is going to move us to equality faster - I simply don't buy that."
Orey told the effect of various legislation nationwide throughout history - from the number of women who graduated high school 50 years ago to the number of minority students attending California universities - and let the numbers speak for him.
"There needs to be these conversations that are held that address the fact instead of these emotion-driven conversations," Orey said. "It (equality) is not going to come if you just wait for this to change. You have to be proactive."
During the debate and the following question and answer session, the debaters addressed issues such as the effect of affirmative action on the university, diversity and equal opportunity.
But at the base of the issue was a discussion about the problems that exist and the most effective way to fix them.
"There is a problem and preferences are not the solution to the problem," said Harbison.
But according to Orey: "To think that we live in a color blind society ... it's the way the world should be, it's the way we wish the world was, but it's not the way the world is."
andreavasquez@dailynebraskan.com
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 15
nevhusker
posted 4/24/08 @ 4:48 PM CST
Most of the time I disagree with Professor Harbison on issues in the Daily Nebraskan however I think on this issue he is dead on target!
Kudos Professor Harbison!!!
Daniel Farcus
posted 4/24/08 @ 5:24 PM CST
I also agree with Prof. Harbison. Affirmative Action, though well intentioned, serves to handicap and marginalize those it is supposed to help, in the long run. (Continued…)
Nick
posted 4/24/08 @ 6:50 PM CST
I'd like to attend debates like this - is there a website or bulletin board where these events are listed?
AL
posted 4/24/08 @ 7:10 PM CST
Unfortunately, Orey is right. It's too bad he's such an insufferable douche bag.
MarkW
MarkW
posted 5/01/08 @ 8:43 AM CST
We need affirmative action in the Lincoln Police Department. Black officers quit and go to work elsewhere because of the racist actions of some Lincoln police officers. (Continued…)
T
posted 5/02/08 @ 10:24 AM CST
I get tired of hearing anti-affirmative action whining from the majority, that is white males. Orey is absolutely correct in that the way the world actually is differs from how we wish it were with gender and racial equality. (Continued…)
Dana
posted 5/02/08 @ 10:40 AM CST
Harbison is correct, Orey is wrong. Affirmative action preferences are racist and should be abolished.
society's child
posted 5/02/08 @ 7:00 PM CST
I encourage all" qualified minorities" to move to a more progressive state that will appreciate your talents, no questions asked. Nebraskans will probably always patronize you and look
down at you, even should you get the job. (Continued…)
Shawn Jessen
posted 5/05/08 @ 3:22 PM CST
AA is itself is legislated racism... as history has proven, the worst kind. Instead of quotas why not simply allow for civil and criminal punishment if it can be proven you were denied opportunity simply because of your race or gender? I never again want to see a form that asks for my race or gender, because that information is irrelevant to my performance. (Continued…)
Disappointed in Big Red
posted 5/05/08 @ 6:10 PM CST
Since Nebraska and UNL are already so keen on punishing those from 'suspected
classes" anyway,yeah, why not just rely on the courts? I value my privacy, but the
mindless meddlers and bigoted white supremacists around here simply can't live with just
paying attention to qualifications and proven success, they want to collect
"protected class" dirt
on people and to besmirch those who are law-abiding citizens when dealing
with reasonable, decent souls. (Continued…)
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