What's In A Name? Apparently Your Genetic Code

What's in a name? For some, the future - Opinion

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"Putting this theory to the test, 20/20 took 22 pairs of names, placed them on identical resumes and posted them on the Internet. With the only difference being the names at the top of the resumes, the reporters believed each resume would receive the same interest. However, 20/20 found resumes with white-sounding names were downloaded 17 percent more often by job recruiters than the ones with black-sounding names."

-The business should not be forced to hire people that it doesn't want...for any reason. 17% isn't a big enough difference to make a fuss about it anyways.

"Several black college students who are getting good educations can potentially not be considered for a job on the basis that their name is too ethnic. This is proof that discrimination is still living and breathing in America today."

-Again, companies are entitled to hire whoever they want for any reason them deem necessary. If capitalism were instituted in America, the company that chose not to pick the best candidates based on an irrelevant factor (i.e. race) would eventually fail.

"There are several blacks with very distinct black names who are educated and successful. Barack Obama, Condoleezza Rice, Oprah Winfrey and Frizzell Gerald Gray - also known as Kweisi Mfume - are all examples of this."

-This proves that hard work and dedication can get you somewhere, rather than a "something for nothing" handout. I appreciate you proving my point.

"This still does not change the fact that discrimination against a person's name is unjust."

-How is that unjust? Is it unjust that someone who created a job chooses who to hire?

"Black names carry stereotypes, and even as blacks work to rise above them, changing the views of some people will be unachievable."

-It sounds like you're stereotyping everyone who isn't black on their perceptions of what s "black name" is.

"Blacks continue to make advancements in the world, but success should not have to come with the sacrifice of cultural identity. Will black mothers now have to stop naming their children Lakeisha and Ebony to ensure their future? They might, but it shouldn't come down to just a name."

-Black people don't make advancements. Individuals do. group rights don't exist in America (the land of the free, remember?). You are not entitled something based on race, especially within the business sector. The same thing goes for whites. The sooner that you figure out that race means squat, the sooner racism will vanish.

-Apparently it doesn't come down just to a name; according to you: "Black names carry stereotypes..."; have you ever asked yourself where those stereotypes come from?

-It was said that: "There are several blacks with very distinct black names who are educated and successful. Barack Obama, Condoleezza Rice, Oprah Winfrey and Frizzell Gerald Gray - also known as Kweisi Mfume..." Thanks for proving that you don't need the views of how other people perceive you to become successful, it made my job a lot easier.

...this sounds like a non-issue to me.