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Starting Points (2)
 
America is a meritocracy,
the modern model of such much in need
of emulation by the neighboring nations of the world
So say the sages in our history books
and politicos proclaiming dissatisfaction
with the policy of affirmative action;
                                     America guarantees
equality of opportunity
rather than equality of result
Putting aside for a different discussion
the relative merits of those two positions,
                                          a closer 
look
shows the usual chasm between word and actin;
the pose of opposig affirmative action means
that one opposes affirmative action for minorities only;
affirmative action for majorities
goes by a multitude of other names:
                                  legacies,
such as when the children and grandchildren of alumni
get preferred admission to elite colleges
regardless of their merits;
                          inheritance
(half of all millionaires
made their money the old-fashioned way:
they inherited it);
                  back-scratching;
"the way it is";
                  "the system"
There seems to be no shortage of rented-brain apologists for the status quo
oblivious to the obvious:
that much of what passes for merit
is privilege dressed in democratic clothes,
a position really in favor of neither
equality of opportunity nor equality of result,
zealously, jealously guarding the 'right'
to decide who gets a chance to be meritorious
We need a new starting point

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