I've wondered this for a few years,,,,, concerning employment (and only employment)........... so here it goes.

    Within the boundries of a big city, I would assume all ethnicities (or close too) are represented. Cities attempt to hire thier own qualified residents. As a matter of fact, a city like Cleveland will give 10 points to a Cleveland resident on an application for a Civil Service job. That is opposed to 5 points for a military veteran. A non-resident can apply and will recieve 0 residency points. If a non-resident is hired by the city, he/she has 6 months to move within the city boundries, or face termination. As of today, most big cities in Ohio require thier employees to live within the city limits. Non-compiance results in the employee being fired. In Cleveland, as of the 2000 census, blacks make up the majority of Cleveland's residents- 51%. All other races combine to make up the remaining 49%. Why then when a city gives out residency points, a city requires employees to live within the city boudries, and the makeup of the city does not resemble the national census, are the remaining 49% (including whites) not considered a minority----- when it comes to employment? 

 

 

Are there minority points or something? I'm not sure why it matters.

There are a few reason. The City of Cleveland requires a certian percent of construction contracts to be awarded to minority contractors. Minorities are able to "jump the list" on a Civil Service test. In certian divisions of employment, minorities are permitted to have thier own clubs/social groups. The City of Cleveland has a Minority Recruitment office that is very active. The City of Cleveland has a Minority Business Enterprise office as well as a Minority Business Oppertunity Commitee.

I'm not entirely sure I get what you're asking, but I think my answer would be that consideration of "minorities" in terms of something like employment is not about matching the demographics of the city, but rather is about ensuring that opportunities are provided to groups of people who are commonly disadvantaged in society.

Pigboy. I disagree. Locally, state wide, nationally, or world wide, minority refers to the segment of the population that is less represented in numbers. Even if the word "minority" is as you discribe, who do you think is at a "disadvantage in society" given all of the above listed?

I'd assume "minority" is defined in statute and in case law, not by the quirks of local demographics...

Pigboy. I disagree. Locally, state wide, nationally, or world wide, minority refers to the segment of the population that is less represented in numbers. Even if the word "minority" is as you discribe, who do you think is at a "disadvantage in society" given all of the above listed?

Yes, of course that's the definition of the word minority; I don't mean that they're inventing a new meaning of the word or anything.  I just mean that the purpose of looking for minorities is as I described, which leads more toward those who are minorities at the national level, (or in any case some broad level), because those are the minorities who are perceived as disadvantaged.

the term 'minority' might have multiple meanings imo. ie., i am not a minority in my nabe where i live, but i very much am where i work.

I was born and raised in Appalachia and I'm gay - it may not qualify me for scholarships but I'm a minority, dammit!  :whip:

^yes i agree md -- thats exactly what im taking about! shows how carefully you have to define what you mean by minority. it can be situational as in my example or an overlooked minority minority (!) as in your example.

 

again cdawg i gotta say i disagree with you fundamentally. when race comes up i think of people as "american of ____ heritage." buts thats because i believe in the american melting pot and you do not, you go for the cultural mosiac model popularized by canada. i think that is not only not true, it is a balkanizing, definately anti-urban and frankly un-american myth. now i am not saying you personally are un-american c-dawg of course not lol! far from it -- please! i am just saying how much i dislike that model of looking at culture, it does not work imo. for proof all you need to do is go abroad, even to visit your own country of historic ethnic origin --- you are not one of them, to any of them you are strictly an "american." so we agree to disagree. more importantly, i am very glad you often bring this topic to the table and we all often talk about it c-dawg, race issues are so often not talked about and ignored or pushed under the table!

 

my fav line on race is summed up by, no surprize, spike lee in his movie 'school daze.' i don't remember exactly, but it goes something like: "africa, what? well why don't you watsui your ass back to africa then. i'm from detroit!" check out that movie, spike was really calling out this topic in that exchange. i think he was saying: of course you should celebrate your heritage and historic culture, but in the end you are an american.

 

 

I am a minority of 1.....always looking to be part of a minority of 2.  :evil: :wave:

I am a minority in my Gold Coast neighborhood ..... I'm heterosexual

C-Dawg Njaim--------- I do agree with your post. But, for this particular thread, I am not discussing the suburbs. I am speaking of only employment issues. In this case, that would limit the population to within the city and only the city. All of the "white flight" cannot be employed by the City of Cleveland. That point is mute.

MayDay--------- I have family in Logan WV. I love that place. Anyways, just recently I was informed that a person from Appalachia is, in fact, considered a minority. I didn't belive the source. Within the past 6 mo., there was a short article in the Plane Dealer offering scholarships to minorities-- including Appalachians!

EDIT