Affirmative action, or as we call it here, positive discrimination, can cause some really stupid things to happen. Chap I know was looking for work a few years back. He told me he had an interview or a job coming up. Saw him again a few days later and naturally asked how the interview went. His reply, as best I can remember, was thus:
"So I went to the place and was shown to the waiting room. There were five other people in there. Three women and two wogs (his words, not mine). So I turned round, went back to Reception, told them I was sorry to have wasted their time, and left. No point staying, was there?"
Basically, he decided, on the spot, that regardless of any other factor, his whiteness and maleness guaranteed failure to get the job. He couldn't even be bothered to go through the interview. That's a new kind of stupid!