1976 found eighty blacks working at the airlines. Today, that number is roughly 674 which equates to less than .01% of the 71,000 total. (+ or - 1%). I can't speak for any other ethnic group.

One does not need to return to the Jim Crow era to know that racism is alive and well and anyone that denies it is delusional. As for me, reverse racism is just as bad as racism. The image of Farakahn, the famed Calypso singer, the permed Sharpton, and the Seminary drop-out Jesse Jackson are far from what most black people attempt to emulate but they are, in some cases, a necessary evil. There are so many factors at play here that will never be resolved in our lifetime.

I don't have to look back to the Tuskegee Airmen to look for a myriad of racial occurences because I've lived them. Definitely not to the extent of others during the civil rights area, but I have lived them. Today, it's a bit more subtle.

Rodney King, after he consumed the much deserved contents of an opened can of L.A.P.D. 'whoop-a_s' asked, "Can't we all just get along?" Though comical when uttered by King and a bit of a cliche today, the answer is an emphatic no. We've tried, but these are terrible times for the world. I'd like to think we can, though ...

This thread is a dead-end, but it makes everyone feel better to get their two-cents in. I've been furloughed (for the second time in my career) five years now, so please be gentle with the flames. Also, I question the validity of the person, in a possible THC induced stupor, that started this thread ... seems a bit conspicuous. Good day, gents.

Joe

Joe, I don't agree 'racism is alive and well' in the airlines. All you have to do is go into a UPS or United crew room, and you'll see. Or check what race/gender/nationality AA first hired in the first 6 months they started interviews in '98. It is disproportionately 'minorities' that are getting those jobs.

I am soooo sick of this stupid issue!!! I HATE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION!!! Minorities need to learn that nobody wants to constantly hear about how one race got this or got that because of opportunity...maybe the other race's values (as a whole) don't encourage stern work habits that lead to college degrees and respect for being an individual. MY PERSONAL OPINION: People of European descent AKA "white boys," came to this country to build from the ground up a better life...yeah some had slaves, most didn't, but the key to why I BELIEVE they have been successful, they don't give a damn about what is happening to the "white race." They only worry about themselves and their families. Successful family unit = successful people. All the ones that are worried about the "White Race," live in the trailer parks and talk bad about other races because that's all they see because they are as equally underqualified to afford a job to live in a better place. Folks...in my opinion the race war belongs to the stupid poor people who are looking for an excuse as to why they are stupid and poor.

Oh yeah...I will say it AGAIN...I am a brown guy, who has a White wife in the South...I am from California...(Yeah I get a lot of **** for both down here but the smarter people don't care). I have seen racism and experienced it from BOTH sides...I am doing JUST FINE. Finally, if you make smart choices EARLY in life and teach your kids right then you have helped the HUMAN race, GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

Delta Airlines has thousands of pilots. They ONE African American female pilot. ASA has been around since 1979. They just hired their first AfricanAMerican female pilot this year. To me that says something.

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I have been following this thread for some time and decided to join the forum so I could reply. It's interesting how a lot of people see affirmative action. However, I think alot of you have the wrong I idea. It's not made to be a hand out. It is made to prevent discrimination. If two equally qualified pilots apply for the same job(but one is black and one is white) affirmative action will make sure that the black guy isn't counted out just because he is black. I fail to see how that is a bad thing. I fail to see why anyone would have a problem with that. Sounds fair to me.

Why Do People Think Affirmative Actionis Just For Black People. Affirmative Action Helps Just As Many White People As Well. You Just Dont Hear About It.

Yep, that's correct AA is not a handout. It is meant to give an oppurtunity to someone who would not normally not have that oppurtunity. However, in this day and age it just doesn't work anymore. Go to the poorer areas of the country that are non-white. Take the kids that show promise, intiative, desire to learn and better themselves. Pay for their education, ratings, training, ect. And when the time comes that they ACTUALLY have the experience to compete for a profession, let them apply for it amd get hired on that fact alone, not their race. This would be a better use of AA than it is now.

At a place where I tought another outfit was working with OPAB to help them get jobs at a local regional. I would see them and query them about what was going on. One of the students showed up in a brand new 5 series BMW. Two other students had fathers that were wide body captains at a major airline.

I grew up in a typical middle class family. Father worked, mom stayed home and raised the kids. It wasn't until I was in college that my dad actually gossed more than 40k a year. Like alot of people, I paid for everything myself, flying, college, cars to get to both of them, ect. Now, can anybody tell me what oppurtunitys I had that some of the above listed people DIDN'T have coming up in this field?

I can garauntee you that if my dad was a widebody CA or my parents had the money to buy me a brand new 5 series BMW, I'd be a hell of alot further along in this career.

BTW, I would love to see the statistics of how many non white male candidates get turned down vs. how many interviewed for the job and white male turn downs vs the amount interviewed.

Someone tell me if I'm wrong. But I was under the impression that being a pilot is somewhat of a trade. And you don't hire simply because someone is of a different cultural background but rather based on ratings and hours. I've never really looking into it, just some old guy telling me this. He said aff. action doesn't play into the cockpit. It's all about what's on paper as if the racial question wasn't there. Am I wrong?

Yes, you are wrong. Sorry to break it to you.