Exploring Affirmative Action as a Societal Issue

3135 Words7 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: History of affirmative action

The policy of affirmative action was created to promote equal opportunity in the workfield, however the policy has its own issues as it has produced lots of controversies since its inception. In particular, opponents of Affirmative action argues against the real effects of affirmative action and skeptical whether societal disparities in employment opportunities and incomes were simply the outcome of socioeconomic labelling, hence the effectiveness of affirmative action to address the disparities was also brought into questioning. Moreover the policy is also controversial in that it does, to a certain extent, exert discriminatory racial tension because it discriminates against non-minority groups. Therefore this essay will discuss some of the issues related to the controversial policy as well as explore some of the underlying causes of the policy and assessment of some of its measured benefits. There has been a long history of racial prejudice in the United States. However the concept of affirmative action is first introduced back during the Roosevelt administration, in its appearance of the Wagner Act, during the midst of the Great Depression (Tomasson et al 126). Historically affirmative action focused on helping black citizens overcome the effects of prior discrimination and segregation (Ciocchetti and Holcomb 2010). Early plans attacked racial barriers obstructing employment opportunities and contract rights. However the implementation of affirmative action programs does not really gain momentum until the subsequent Richard Nixon’s administration period (Fauntroy 2009). It is explained that the affirmative action programs are implemented in response to the presidential speech made by Richard Nixon (Fauntroy 2009). Spe... ... middle of paper ... ... 47, No. 4. (Jul. - Aug., 1976), pp. 413- 435 Sander, Richard; Taylor, Stuart (2012)“The Unraveling of Affirmative Action” Wall Street Journal Oct 13, 2012 Fryer, Roland G. Jr., and Glenn C. Loury. 2005. "Affirmative Action and Its Mythology." Journal of Economic Perspectives, 19(3): 147-162. Skrentny, John D (1996)The Ironies of Affirmative Action: Politics, Culture, and Justice in America Chicago, The University of Chicago Press Bergmann, Barbara (1997) In Defense of Affirmative Action New York, Perseus Book Press Wood, Amy “Affirmative Action: Overcoming Disparities Yields Economic Benefits” Journal of the Southern Regional Council, Vol 20 No1, 1998 pp 12-15 Ciocchetti, C.A.; Holcomb, J “The Frontier of Affirmative Action: Employment Preferences & Diversity in the Private Workplace” 2010 University of Pennsylvania Journal of Business Law Vol 12:2

Show More
Related

  • Pros And Cons Of Selective Incorporation

    906 Words  | 2 Pages

    3.The term Affirmative action has played a huge role in the past one hundred years of American politics. It is simply defined as an action or policy favoring those who tend to suffer. Civil Rights of American citizens have drastically changed because of Affirmative action. With almost anything in politics, there is a debate for and against Affirmative action. Supporters of this say that this helps encourage e...

    Read More

  • None of This is Fair by Mr. Richard Rodriguez

    664 Words  | 2 Pages

    After long years of suffering, degradation, and different sorts of discrimination which the disadvantaged group of people had experienced, the “Affirmative Action Law” was finally passed and enforced for the very first time on September 24, 1965. The central purpose of the Affirmative Action Law is to combat racial inequality and to give equal civil rights for each citizen of the United States, most especially for the minorities. However, what does true equality mean? Is opportunity for everyone? In an article entitled, “None of this is fair”, the author, Mr. Richard Rodriguez explains how his ethnicity did not become a hindrance but instead, the law became beneficial. However, Mr. Richard Rodriguez realized the unfairness of the “Affirmative Action” to people who are more deserving of all the opportunities that were being offered to him. Through Mr. Rodriguez’s article, it will demonstrates to the reader both favorable, and adverse reaction of the people to the Affirmative Action, that even though the program was created with the intention to provide equality for each and every citizen, not everyone will be pleased, contented, and benefit from the law.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Affirmative Action

    1402 Words  | 3 Pages

    To sum everything up, we as a human race are not perfect, nor will we ever make solutions that will satisfy both side of arguments. One lesson we can learn from this research paper, however, is that everyone should have the ability to fully enjoy their Equal Protection Clause under the Fourteenth Amendments. Nonetheless, the development of reverse discrimination, the creation of stigma against women and minorities, the buildup of racial tension, and the fact of attempting to solve a racial problem that no longer exist all contributed to the danger of affirmative action. It may be created with good intentions, but certainly not applicable to our society now if all of us wish to be treated equal.

    Read More

  • Affirmative Action: Giving Preferential Admissions to Minority Students

    1316 Words  | 3 Pages

    Charles, Camille Z., et al. "Affirmative-Action Programs for Minority Students: Right in Theory, Wrong in Practice." The Chronicle of Higher Education 55.29 (2009). Academic OneFile. Web. 9 Aug. 2011.

    Read More

  • Two Views of Affirmative Action

    1499 Words  | 3 Pages

    "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…." Even before it became a nation, America was heralded as a land of equality. Thomas Jefferson's statement begs more than a few questions, one of which is: "How can we ensure equality to everyone?" Beginning in the late 1960s, the federal government provided an answer to this question in the form of affirmative action. In recent years, many people have called this policy into question. Interestingly, affirmative action is sometimes attacked by the people it helps, and defended by those it hurts. In particular, two recent essays demonstrate that people's race does not necessarily determine their beliefs on the issue of affirmative action. "Why I Believe in Affirmative Action" is by Paul R. Spickard, a white man who is defending affirmative action, while "A Negative Vote on Affirmative Action" is by Shelby Steele, an African-American who is attacking the program. When the two essays are considered as responses to each other, Steele's logical explanations of the effects and implications of affirmative action expose the flaws in Spickard's ethical arguments supporting it.

    Read More

  • Affirmative Action in College Admissions

    1570 Words  | 4 Pages

    According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, affirmative action is “an active effort to improve employment or educational opportunities for members of minority groups and women.” However, despite its well-intentioned policies, it has been the source of much controversy over the years. Barbara Scott and Mary Ann Schwartz mention that “proponents of affirmative action argue that given that racism and discrimination are systemic problems, their solutions require institutional remedies such as those offered by affirmative action legislation” (298). Also, even though racism is no longer direct, indirect forms still exist in society and affirmative action helps direct. On the other hand, opponents to affirm...

    Read More

  • Affirmative Action and Racial Tension

    1704 Words  | 4 Pages

    Subconscious prejudices, self-segregation, political correctness, reverse discrimination, and ignorance all wade in the pool of opinions surrounding affirmative action and racial animosity. With racial tensions ever present in this country, one might question whether the problems can be solved by affirmative action.

    Read More

  • Affirmative Action Should Not Be Continued

    2185 Words  | 5 Pages

    The government thinks that implementing affirmative action will repair inequality, but it cannot. In the midst of tying to promote equality, they are promoting discrimination. Discrimination is the violation of one’s human rights based on gender, sex, race, ethnicity and/or relation. President Johnson felt that blacks being free and able to go to the same school as Caucasians were not just enough for the past discrimination and turmoil the African Americans went through. Affirmative action was used as a cure to remedy lost times. Sandal made some valid points; he noted that th...

    Read More

  • Racial Bias in College Admission

    879 Words  | 2 Pages

    Pojman, Louis P. "The Case Against Affirmative Action." Csus.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.

    Read More

  • Affirmative Action is Reverse Discrimination

    3071 Words  | 7 Pages

    During the tumultuous civil rights movement of the 1960’s, President Lyndon Johnson issued a call to action to make up for past discrimination of minorities in American history. This new method of civil rights justice took on the term “affirmative action”. Preceding this was a rise to equality among minorities, mainly African Americans and Hispanics. The breakthrough case Brown v. Board of Education desegregated public schools and opened the door for national equality of all citizens. In 1963 President John Kennedy developed eigh...

    Read More

  • Civil Rights: Affirmative Action

    1165 Words  | 3 Pages

    Holzer, H., & Neumark, D. (2000). What Does Affirmative Action Do?. Cornell University. Retrieved February 25, 2014, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/2696075?Search=yes&resultItemClick=true&searchText=affirmative&searchText=action&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Daffirmative%2Baction%26amp%3Bprq%3Daffirmative%2Baction%26amp%3Bhp%3D25%26amp%3Bacc%3Don%26amp%3Bwc%3Don%26amp%3Bfc%3Doff%26amp%3Bso%3Drel%26amp%3Bracc%3Doff

    Read More

  • Is Affirmative Action still needed?

    973 Words  | 2 Pages

    Today there is considerable disagreement in the country over Affirmative Action with the American people. MSNBC reported a record low in support for Affirmative Action with 45% in support and 45% opposing (Muller, 2013). The affirmative action programs have afforded all genders and races, exempting white males, a sense of optimism and an avenue to get the opportunities they normally would not be eligible for. This advantage includes admission in colleges or hiring preferences with public and private jobs; although Affirmative Action has never required quotas the government has initiated a benefits program for the schools and companies that elect to be diversified. The advantages that are received by the minorities’ only take into account skin color, gender, disability, etc., are what is recognized as discriminatory factors. What is viewed as racism to the majority is that there ar...

    Read More

  • Affirmative Action

    1098 Words  | 3 Pages

    In 1961, the notion of affirmative action was first appeared when President John F. Kennedy asked government contractors to take “affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin.1” Kennedy originally spoke of "affirmative steps" to prevent discrimination, suggesting general efforts to reach out to minority groups. However, the term is not defined or explained further; there is no indication that a specific policy was intended. Yet, by 1978, the first controversy in college admissions arose in the Bakke v. Regents of the University of California case. Since then, questions about whether or not affirmative action increases equality i...

    Read More

  • Affirmative Action on Social Inequality

    1665 Words  | 4 Pages

    Tairo, Mario. "A Critical Look at Affirmative Action - Panorama - TakingITGlobal." A Critical Look at Affirmative Action - Panorama - TakingITGlobal. Taking It Global, 05 Apr. 2005. Web. 01 May 2014.

    Read More

  • The Pros and Cons of Affirmative Action

    3452 Words  | 7 Pages

    Nacoste, Rupert W. (1987) Affirmative Action in American Politics: Strength or Weakness? Political Behavior, Vol. 9, No. 4, 291-304.

    Read More

More about Exploring Affirmative Action as a Societal Issue

Open Document