Swedish Steel

I just saw something the other day that absolutely infuriated me.
A customer inquired of me if we are a Minority-designated company.

They faxed me a form that asks if we are a "Disadvantaged Small Business". A "DSB" is any business headed by a Black, Eskimo, Native American, Non-White Hispanic, Asian, or anybody designated as a minority. Apparently said groups are so shitty at running their businesses, that the government has a compliance quota for other companies to buy goods and services from these minority/disadvantaged companies, just to keep them in business.

I've always heard of these things before, but actually seeing the form made me lose my mind.
As a big fan of free enterprise and capitalism, I detest the government's intrusion and trying to impose a social agenda on commerce.

I can think of many disadvantaged large businesses run by assheads such at Enron, Tyco, and MCI Worldcom. Not a minority in the bunch.
Are you going to tell me American Express is a disadvantaged business because the CEO Kenneth Chenault is black?.


Have a great Fourth of July!