FINAL ESSAY!

April Fichter

Period 7/8

10-26-10

Affirmative Action

Have you ever been denied an educational or employment opportunity and don’t quite understand why? If so, listen carefully because you just might be a victim of Affirmative Action. Affirmative Action refers to policies that take factors including race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation and national origin into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group. The reasoning behind this practice is to make up for past discrimination of minorities in the workplace, schools and other areas of life. Since African Americans were not worthy of being treated equal in the eyes of whites for nearly a century, affirmative action programs were built to help bring back equality to minorities for ancestry discrimination. Not only were African Americans faced with discrimination but women, homosexuals, Jews and many other underrepresented groups as well. I strongly do not believe in Affirmative Action. Employment and educational opportunities should not be based on the content of skin color, but rather the content of character and the capability of the person.

Each year, many majorities are skipped an opportunity of education or employment because certain employers and admissions for colleges or universities are supporters of Affirmative Action. Many schools and businesses have to meet certain quotas. In other words, the minimum levels of required minority participation. For example, some Affirmative Action programs specify that a certain percentage of jobs, promotions, or positions must be reserved for minorities. In some cases, even if the minorities are under-qualified, they still are offered the opportunities over the qualified participants.

Reverse discrimination is a popular nickname for Affirmative Action. This nickname comes from the ironic idea of making things equal because of past discrimination. The ironic part is that giving minorities, over a generally favored group, a better advantage for employment and admission opportunities, is not making things equal, but rather creating reverse discrimination. David Thiel states, “The basic problem is that a racist past cannot be undone through more racism.” This quote explains that because America’s past was involved with racism, doesn’t mean that you can fix the past with present day racism. Having race-conscious programs betray our strong-willed Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of having a color-blind community.

Many may argue that Affirmative Action is a program of opportunity and it is not a program of discrimination. They argue that Affirmative Action has never been a program about meeting quotas and hiring less qualified persons. However, Affirmative Action programs open up opportunities for minority groups only. This is not making things equal at all, but rather giving more opportunities to one group. And providing one group more opportunities than another group is discriminating against the other group. Also, proven data has shown that many educational facilities and government businesses are required to meet quotas. Affirmative Action is supposed to “open up opportunity” and make things equal. Again, however, Affirmative Action programs hire people and admit people based on skin color, national origin, sex, and a variety of factors. They are not based on the qualifications of the person.

The solution to Affirmative Action is to end it all together. There should no longer be any form of Affirmative Action in the United States. Ending these programs would give everyone an equal opportunity and would not be making more discrimination. Everyone would learn to fight and work hard for what they want in life. People will compete on an equal level and no one will be judged on the content of their skin color or national origin.

In conclusion, Affirmative Action programs should be banned in America. Opportunities should be opened up to people with character and accomplishments. People should not be accepted for anything based only on race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation and national origin. Affirmative Action programs aren’t making up for past discrimination, but only making more discrimination and this is wrong.

Work Cited

Haas, Michael. "Affirmative action." The Seventies in America. Ed. John C. Super. 3 vols. Pasadena, CA: Salem Press, 2006. Salem History Web. 06 Oct. 2010.

Intoduction Guide!

A Quick Introduction Guide:

1.       Ask yourself: “Why am I interested in the topic? What initially caused me to research the topic?”

The reason I am interested in the topic of Affirmative Action is because I started off my senior year first semester involved in Government and I really enjoy learning about different controversial issues. Affirmative Action stuck out to me the most, and that is why I chose the topic of Affirmative Action.

2.       Then consider how you relate with the topic.

I don’t relate with this topic right now, and hopefully in the future Affirmative Action never affect me either. Affirmative Action programs provide minority groups and women with better job and admission to university opportunities. Yes, I am a woman and this would positively affect me. However, I want everyone to have an equal opportunity. I would not want somebody (who may possibly be under qualified than me) to get a job just because of their skin color or gender.

3.       Once you simply define your relation to the topic, explain a personal experience that elaborates upon your relation to the topic.  

I don’t have any personal experiences with Affirmative Action but I have read about specific court cases in the United States. One court case was about a fire station that hired a black man as a firefighter so that the station could meet quotas. Quotas are a percentage of opportunities that needs to be saved for minority groups. However, in this specific case, the black man that was hired was not as qualified physically as the other man that was applying there as well. People in the community were upset because when it comes to fighting fires and saving lives, people want the most qualified individuals, not just the person of a different background and different skin color. Other U.S court cases are about admission to universities. Many under qualified minorities are accepted to top notch schools because of their skin color. Many schools need to show diversity and meet quotas so they accept minorities. The bad part is that there are other individuals who are qualified for the position, but don’t get accepted.

4.       Lastly, consider the purpose in arguing your topic.  How will you defend your stance?  What will you do to argue your purpose?

My purpose in arguing against Affirmative Action is to make people aware that this actually happens and hopefully someday it can be abolished. I will state that Affirmative Action programs are unfair and they only create reverse discrimination.

Obama goes over the top with Affirmative Action!

Thomson, James W. "Pres. Obama Goes Over the Top on Affirmative Action." USA Today (Farmingdale) Vol. No.. 01 Sep 2009: 18. SIRS Researcher. Web. 19 Oct 2010.

 "How does our first post-racial president deal with identity politics? Not very well at all, according to Shelby Steele, who raised this question in an op-ed piece for the Wall Street Journal by predicting that this explosive issue will continue to plague Barack Obama throughout his presidency. Steele argues that, by nominating Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court, Obama committed the cardinal sin of identity politics: attempting to elevate people more for their gender and race rather than for individual merit or achievement. Steele contends that Obama had run on a platform of post-racial idealism that earned him the support of many whites, while actually delivering something far worse by selecting Sotomayor in what Steele calls 'a crude form of racial patronage.'" (USA Today) This article reviews opinions made by Shelby Steele regarding Barack Obama, Sonia Sotomayor, affirmative action programs, and the idea of a post-racial society.

Journal!

America should no longer have any sort of Affirmative Action programs. Affirmative Action only provides America with reverse discrimination.

Hello Reverse Discrimination!

"Affirmative Action." Current Issues: Macmillian Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 5 Oct. 2010.

Document URL
http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?displayGroupName=K12-Reference&action=e&windowstate=normal&catId=GALE%7C00000000LVUX&documentId=GALE%7CPC3021900006&mode=view&userGroupName=chsd&jsid=f8583efcaae892dc014ad7ae73212949

This article I read got me very pumped about the issue of Affirmative Action. I learned many new ideas through this article and I would like to share. This article provided many valid points about affirmative action. The article mentions its history, where it's used, why it's used, and pros and cons of affirmative action on a neutral basis. This article did not lean to one side or the other.

To begin, Affirmative Action is a practice that provides members of minority groups and women greater opportunities in employment, education, housing, and other areas of life. The reasoning behind such practice is to make up for past discrimination of minorities in the workplace, schools and othere areas of life. Since African Americans were not worthy of being treated equal in the eyes of whites for nearly a century, affirmative action programs were built to help bring back equality to minorities for ancestry discrimination (an example of this is Jim Crow laws). Not only were African Americans faced with discrimination but women, homosexuals, Jews and many other underrepresented groups as well. That is why in today's society, these groups have a better advantage over other goups [white males] in many aspects of life.

Each year, many majorites are skipped an opportunity of education or employment because certain employers and admissions for colleges or universities are supporters of Affirmative Action. Many schools and government jobs have to meet a certain quotas. In other words, the minimum levels of required minority participation. For example, some affirmative action programs specify that a certain percentage of jobs, promotions, or positions must be reserved for minorities. In some cases, even if the minoritites are under-qualified, they still are offered the opportunities over the qualified participants.

There is still a big debate of the overall effect of Affirmative Action programs. Supporters of Affirmative Action believe that these programs are a neccessary step in achieving equality to the underrepresented groups in society that faced discrimination in the past. They believe that affirmative action programs are essential to black progress. On the other hand, critics of affirmative action programs argue that individuals should compete based on their ability, not based on race, sex, national origin, sexual orientation and so on. Supporters argue by stating that AA programs are in place to ensure the elimination of discrimination. Then, opposers argue that AA programs aren't putting an end to discrimination, but only making "reverse discrimination".  Many believe that Affirmative Action programs are putting punishment on white males for the actions of their ancestors. Other critics argue that blacks aren't capable of competing with whites on an equal basis.

Many court cases have shown perfect examples of majorities denied opportunities because certain schools and employments take race into consideration when deciding who to chose. For example:  Fisher vs. Texas was a court case about a young lady applicant that sued the University of Texas at Austin claiming that she was rejected because of the university's admission policy that allowed the school to consider race in its admission decisions.

In conclusion, this article provides facts about Affirmative Action programs and is very nuetral based- meaning it doesn't argue either side. However, I do not support Affirmative Action programs. I believe that these programs only causes reverse discrimination and do not give people equal opportunites. Certain groups should not be "punished" for the mistakes that were made by their ancestors.