Quotas And Set Asides Coming To A Small Town Near You

History is as interesting as it is often tragic.

Once upon a time, in the name of "democracy", Germany, limited the access of a talented and successful minority of its population to a whole host of occupations and positions within society. Of course, we all now know that the Nazis had a lot worse in store for the Jews than ruining careers. German Jews were successful and that led to resentment, which was, of course, Hitler's political capital. Power and not democracy was the focus of the Nazis agenda and removing a "pesky" group of people seen to be blocking the road to power was the goal.

The Maoists during the "cultural revolution" promoted a leveling agenda that specifically excluding informed and articulate academics from their occupations. In the name of equality and "democracy", they were sent to fields to be worked to death. Again, these folks stood in the way of the communists and their dream of their "democratic" ideals and power.

America is a "kinder gentler nation" when promoting quotas and set asides. Here, "democratic" inclusion goes under the name of "affirmative action". However, a quota by any other name is still the same. FOR SOMEONE TO BE PUT FIRST IN LINE, SOMEONE ELSE HAS TO BE HELD BACK. Of course, voting blocks and political parties seeking good old fashion power are the engine that drives the "affirmative action" phenomenon.

What does this have to do with reality in small town America? Every type of foolishness eventually comes to town. And, there are small towns where town managers propose limiting how much citizen volunteers may serve their town. In the cases I'm familiar with, the criteria has nothing to do with righting old racial wrongs. Such proposals are promoted in order to "open up" more positions and bring more people "in" and make the system more "democratic". Plain and simple, it's a "set aside" or quota system. Such proposals are all the more amazing when NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN TURNED AWAY FROM THE VOLUNTEER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT DETERMINE TOWN POLICIES. In fact, there are rarely enough people available to even fill the openings on most of the town boards and commissions. WHY WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS MOST TOWNS FACE WOULD SOMETHING THAT HAS NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM BEEN ADDED TO AN AGENDA? I submit that this smarmy move is a SET ASIDE for THOSE WHO WILL SAY "YES " to whatever an administration proposes. The INFORMED citizens who give of their time and serve on multiple boards and commissions or boards are simply in the way of those who would lead us in a direction only the UNINFORMED would follow.