TKO Real Estate Advisory Group, 100 Youngs Road
Corrections or additions?
This article was prepared for the June 23, 2004
issue of U.S. 1 Newspaper. All rights reserved.
Between The Lines
If I didn’t know better, it would appear that “U.S.1” was rallying
behind the cause of Michael Ryan (“On Trial: Affirmative Action
Plans,” June 16). You’ve devoted nearly four pages to this story,
which, as one of your interviewees stated, “. . . none of the facts in
[this] case are particularly unusual or significant in terms of
creating new law.”
What your lengthy article does create is ‘animosity’ toward
affirmative action. There is such a thing as subtle racism, and it
does exist in corporate America. Regardless of HOW qualified a
minority is, he or she will be ‘held’ down or back when it comes to
promotion.
From the outset, affirmative action wasn’t clearly thought out. If it
had been, perhaps we would not have so many (white) people rallying
against it. When people hear affirmative action, it causes the hair on
the backs of their necks to stand up. What it SHOULD cause is
attention to themselves – inward attention that is – to examine if
they are harboring any ill will toward minorities. More than likely
they probably will find something. Again, racism in the workplace is
prevalent. It exists and I have been a victim of it as well.
Affirmative action has also awakened people to reexamine the racial
makeup of a corporation. Therein lies the rub, I believe. People now
are crying, “I’m not racist. Some of my best friends are….” Gimme a
break! Perhaps YOU may not be. But when there is a SERIOUS disparity
in the amount of minority representation in a corporation, yes, there
IS a problem. Though the article didn’t state the racial breakdown of
employees at the FAA, I doubt seriously that affirmative action would
have been introduced had it not been for the lack of said
representation at the FAA.
Perhaps the fact that Mr. Ryan is on his third attorney attests to the
fact that he is a bitter white man. I could care less that he helped
to “train” those in the AA program. Who’s to say that those who were
promoted didn’t deserve it? Before affirmative action graced the doors
of the FAA, where was Mr. Ryan’s promotion?.
Kudos for a well written article. However, the content truly seemed to
‘favor’ Mr. Ryan’s cause. In the future, U.S. 1 should devote space to
news of importance – like job training, and where minorities can go to
find employment. Or would that be championing the cause of affirmative
action?
-Ty Gray
Top Of PageTKO Real Estate Advisory Group, 100 Youngs Road
IN YOUR ARTICLE on Summer Island Shuttle (U.S. 1, May 5), you
mentioned my company, Rainbow Air. For the record, the main reason
that Rainbow Air closed is my main source of income moved to Dallas in
1993.
Our business model included purchase of an aircraft so that it would
always be available when we needed it. Since we used the aircraft
mainly on weekends, the model depended on finding other uses for it
during the week. Although we had several different arrangements, none
worked out.
-Joe Budelis
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