Do you understand the viewpoint that if you are against affirmative action, you are appeasing the right? Actions speak louder than words, and while affirmative action wasn’t perfect when rolled out, it was better than lip service while doing nothing.
Let’s take your statement for example: Someone wants to have equal and fair treatment. The left side makes an argument for how to make things more fair. The right side says no, you don’t deserve those rights. The centrist then says, I think you should have rights, but not right now, or not this way. When the centrists appease the right, they are seen as the right.
Cancer. The trauma and pain I went through changed me and how I see the world. For a long time afterwards, I was stuck in a deep depression. I’ve been working through it all, but I feel like I lost 6 years of my life.
I realize now how fleeting our lives are and stopped thinking about things I wanted to do or pursue, and started executing on them. I got back into longboarding, learned 3D printing, metal working, etc. This life is all we get and nothing is guaranteed. I don’t want to be on my deathbed again thinking about all the things I wish I did.