The evil quota system

[Occasional Fan]

It's a really tough one, Greg. Taken in isolation, I'd agree that any form of discrimination, be it "affirmative action", a quota system or anything else, is a bad thing. The difficulty is in trying to separate South Africa's present from its past - which few nowadays would characterise as anything other than shameful. In the end, my feeling is that I am not close enough to the South African situation to be able to form a clear opinion. Further up the thread, someone said it's a matter for the South Africans themselves to sort out, and I go along with that, thankful that nowadays at least everyone in South Africa can be involved, unlike in the darker days.

[Speedboy Salesman]

I'm only going to say this about SA's quota system: It should be about the talent, not the race. If a white cricketer's better than a black cricketer, then so be it. If a black cricketer's better than a white cricketer, again, so be it.

[Seamer]

The ABC's "foreign correspondent" did a piece recently on this very issue

YouTube - Poor Whites - South Africa

It's a two way street. You do not expend political capital and boycott counties, so one form of racism replaces another IMO.

I like this from the "BEE" (black economic empowerment) home page.

Black economic empowerment - SouthAfrica.info

'No economy can grow by excluding any part of its people, and an economy that is not growing cannot integrate all of its citizens in a meaningful way'

Seems a contradiction to me.

[Occasional Fan]

I don't see any contradiction. Re-phrase it: if an economy is not growing, it can't involve all citizens; and the only way to grow is to involve all citizens. They're surely two propositions which can stand together? Basically, they say that if you don't involve all citizens, you're in a vicious cycle, as you won't grow and won't be able to involve them all. But if you do involve all citizens, growth might (but not necessarily will) ensue.

[Seamer]

Originally Posted by Occasional Fan

I don't see any contradiction. Re-phrase it: if an economy is not growing, it can't involve all citizens; and the only way to grow is to involve all citizens. They're surely two propositions which can stand together? Basically, they say that if you don't involve all citizens, you're in a vicious cycle, as you won't grow and won't be able to involve them all. But if you do involve all citizens, growth might (but not necessarily will) ensue.

You have to see my post in it's full context.

Black economic empowerment (BEE) excludes poor whites. Yet the mission statement on the homepage seems to say otherwise.

'No economy can grow by excluding any part of its people, and an economy that is not growing cannot integrate all of its citizens in a meaningful way'

You have an exclusionary program that advocates non-exclusion, yet by it's very nature does exclude.

Thus the contradiction............... or hypocrisy.

[Occasional Fan]

Ah! Yes - that's an odd one!

[PaceHitta]

'Johannesburg - South Africa could lose two of its premier fast bowlers, Charl Langeveldt and Andre Nel, because of political interference in selection believes the South African Cricketers' Association (SACA).'

Quote from Langeveldt, Nel lost to SA?: Sport: Cricket: News24

[Nostromo]

From what I read (which might be incomplete because I am in Maldives at the moment and cricket is not exactly big news out here) Langeveldt withdrew of his own accord because he did not want to be included on the basis of his colour; if true, I take my hat off to him. Langeveldt obviously felt that Nel was being deprived of a place that he deserved because he was a white player too many.

[sanketh84]

i was looking thru this post...it got so politically and socially motivated that people forgot this was a cricket discussion. i dont know what the hue and cry is all about...short and simple a talented cricketer gets picked period. if i was a south african irrespective of being black or white i would be extremely peeved if a guy got ahead in the selection coz of his background. winning or losing is the question of national pride...u pick ur best team and hope to win matches..its not where u play politics.. which anyway are left to the politicians who in india can be morons and decide to have a 49.5% quota in educational institutions for the "backward" people. anyways the point is if there are to be more native africans playing the game then south african board needs to do something at the grass roots level...encourage the young native african boys to take up cricket just as we see more indians from smaller towns due to some good initiatives taken by BCCI.

oh btw those who argue how can cricket be played by those who dont have food to eat or proper education. i can give u a live example, there is this guy playing in the IPL Vijaykumar of Deccan Chargers who was a daily laborer who supported himself and his old parents by earning about $30 a month. He's uneducated, doesn't know a word of english(knows only Telugu) and despite all odds managed to play Ranji Trophy for A.P( all indians know how much u get paid playing in the domestic circuits) and Gilly the skipper rates him highly. It tells me its just ur love of the game which drives you to play it, i'm sure Vijay wasn't aware he'll get picked to play in the IPL... just the dream of playing for the country motivates him and thats how it should be.

by having quotas aren't u sending out the message that u can be picked in the national team just on the basis of race?? if i was sponsoring the SA team, i'd be annoyed at these policies of the selection panel.

[Seamer]

Originally Posted by sanketh84

by having quotas aren't u sending out the message that u can be picked in the national team just on the basis of race?? if i was sponsoring the SA team, i'd be annoyed at these policies of the selection panel.

The thing is, when you look at a human body and go down to the sub-atomic level, all you find is energy. Is energy black, white or yellow? No. Are our "souls" black white or yellow?

Everything we sense is just an ego-manifestation of energy that makes up our matrix. Thus the concept of "race" is nothing more than an illusion. Just like fish don't realise they swim in water, the mass of humanity on this planet, trapped in the illusion of the five senses, don't realise they swim in material-manifested energy. That they, themselves (human body that is) are nothing more than material-manifested energy.

If the mass of humanity woke up to this reality, there would be no "racism"