Affirmative Action If one is to discuss and problem solve an issue, he or she must first know what the issue is truly about. Affirmative action is defined as the equal opportunities given to women, minorities, and small groups so they will have the same tools, education, and allotment to achieve their goals in life. Since affirmative action came about, debate arises daily about if it is truly equal and fair. Was it a word made as a cushion to the people so they will feel equal? Another interpretation is did this word actually make the white male group less important and unequal to the minority group, doing more harm to others than good. Affirmative action is not used unequally in the world, but in actuality if it was not for it these people would have nothing. Julie A. Mertus supports the need for opportunities given to women in the work force. In the work force today many women are overlooked and pushed aside because of their gender. Many of the big wigs in businesses today feel that a woman is inferior to a man’s intelligence of work skill trades. A woman can simply not handle the stress on the body or the mind thinking dilemmas in which a man can supposedly accomplish. Affirmative action however has allowed the women a chance to display their skills but what the debate arises is, because of the gifts given by affirmative action is this good for the world of today. Mertus gives an example of a German landscaper that was excluded from his promotion due to his company's quota requirements. The company's quota requirements stated that if a man and a woman are applying for the same promotion and there is a tie, the woman will be given the job if less than half holding the job are women. Another example given is that of a male ... ... middle of paper ... ...must come from the student, the chance is just there. We all know without an education, a person will get no where in life fast, affirmative action give them the chance to make a difference. The action is up to them. There are still people in the world that believe affirmative action is stealing more than what it is bringing to others. Actually, if we look at it, the so called stealing is from someone who has something to take. The gifts are for the people who do not have anything and without affirmative action can not have anything. People need to stop being greedy and start trying to give everyone a fair chance in life to succeed. They also need to stop becoming angry when they did not gain their wealth to give someone else a start. The importance of affirmative action should now be seen and that it is necessary for the lives of many and without it would suffer.
Affirmative action, an idea which began in the 1930s but truly kicked off in the 1960s, consists of a wide variety of programs meant to help level the playing field in both universities and the workplace by making race and gender a consideration in the selection process. While supporters believe affirmative action must stay an active policy so that the United States can continue to strive for proportional equality in higher level jobs and education, opponents argue positions should be awarded on an individual basis based on merit alone. Although affirmative action policies have done impressive work creating these opportunities, it is now time to question if, after 40 years, this method is working and should be continued, if the current policies are no longer effective and the negative costs now outweigh the possible benefits and a new approach should be put into place.
Affirmative action has been a topic of discussion for a long time, but only recently has it become such a major controversy. It is generally agreed on that affirmative action became a real topic of debate around 1964 during the civil rights movement. Even the definition of affirmative action is controversial; this is addressed by Antwi-Boasiako, Kwame Badue, and Joseph Osagba. They provide two primary definitions of affirmative action. The first says that the purpose of affirmative action is to right the wrongs of past discrimination. The second is that affirmative action works much like a “quota system,” i.e. schools are required to have certain levels of diversity in their schools. To reach that diversity schools use affirmative action, allowing in less qualified minorities to promote diversity.
The outlined goals of affirmative action are what we need for this country. The United States society needs to change the way it sees and treats its citizens. The methods that affirmative action uses, however, are not conducive to ac...
The three named plaintiffs and the class of rejected applicants they represent seek primarily injunctive relief to ensure that future applicants will be judged as individuals without regard to race. It is unfair to be judged by the color of your skin… NO MATTER WHAT COLOR YOU ARE!!! WHITE IS A COLOR TOO
Affirmative action is an attempt by the United States to amend a long history of racial discrimination and injustice. Our school textbook defines affirmative action as “a program established that attempts to improve the chances of minority applicants for educational or employment purposes, although they may have the same qualifications, by giving them leverage so that they can attain a level that is equal to caucasian applicants” (Berman 522). There are people that support and oppose this issue. Opponents of affirmative action have many reasons for opposing this issue, one of them being that the battle for equal rights is over, and that this advantage made for people of color discriminates against people that are not of color. The people that defend affirmative action argue this advantage is needed because of how badly discriminated the people of color once were. Because of the discrimination that once was these people claim that they are at a disadvantage, and always have been, therefore equality of opportunity is needed. It is also said that affirmative action is used to encourage diversity and integration. This paper will discuss the history of affirmative action, how it is implemented in society today, and evaluate the arguments that it presents.
Affirmative Action is a policy in the United States of America. It is in use to help minorities get equal treatment in admissions policies for big businesses and higher educational programs. In one way or another, this policy affects almost every person in America. It affects people directly, and most commonly, indirectly. When this policy affects people, it usually affects them in a negative way. When Affirmative Action first started, it was a descent policy, but with changes in society, it has become a policy that does more harm than good. Since this is what the policy currently does, Affirmative Action should be out of use for every application it has a function for. So, this policy should be out of every law book in America to eliminate the negative impact that it is causing. Affirmative Action is outdated because it is turning into a reverse discrimination policy.
By reading the facts and opinions of this paper, I believe you will understand that this is a problem that needs to be faced. Affirmative Action is not pulling its weight in what it was initially created to do. Steps need to be taken to right this wrong, so people who deserve a shot, in turn receive a shot.
Affirmative Action Affirmative action can be defined as action taken to compensate for past unfairness in the education of minorities. The current system of affirmative action allows universities to admit applicants from certain ethnic and minority groups with lower credentials. The main purpose of affirmative action is to produce a diverse campus population that is comparable to today's society. The use of race as a facto by which someone is admitted to college in the long run will compromise the quality of the university. Implicating affirmative action to solve the problem of diversity on today's campuses has lead to the creation of problems.
This indicates the fear and doubt affirmative action creates for minority groups. Acceptance into college is an earned privilege, a privilege that one has to work for his or her entire childhood to achieve. Schoolwork, homework, sacrifices; children do these things since they are little to assure their acceptance into a college. It is a rite of passage that society looks forward to. Yet, affirmative action can be taken as a condescension and insult to those people by implying that minorities cannot achieve their goals through hard work and ability. Moreover, instead of trying to strive for the best possibility, affirmative action allows African Americans to use the injustices, which is slavery, as an excuse as to why they cannot be successful today.
"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed. We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (6). Dr. King stated this in his famous “I have a Dream" speech in Washington, D.C. in 1963. Is affirmative action still needed in America? Affirmative action is still needed because America does not have enough equality and diversity. Almost all of our American history dealt with inequality between the white men and the black men. As time went on, nothing has changed and is still seen in today’s society. There are two definitions of affirmative action: 1) race-neutral, gender-neutral assurance against actual discrimination and 2) racial-preferences and gender-preferences for the correct races and genders (3). Most Americans associate affirmative action with the second definition, causing much controversy. However, the true and intended meaning of affirmative action is the first one. Affirmative action is essential in America because Americans do not have sufficient diversity and equality in our society.
Affirmative action is an issue that evokes strong emotions for both supporters and non-supporters alike. Those against affirmative action argue that affirmative action does not help minorities but rather degrades them. They argue that affirmative action sends minorities the message that they can only succeed if they are given extra benefits; thus, resulting in damaged credibility. Often cited as example of affirmative action victims are that of Clarence Thomas and Colin Powell. Critics of affirmativ...
Affirmative action is not something new. ; Breaking breaking down the barriers that prevented individuals from having equal opportunities was and still remains the purpose of affirmative action. The programs were designed to open up opportunities in education and employment – to balance the playing field. President Lyndon Johnson expressed his beliefs in 1965, "You do not take a person who, for years, has been hobbled by chains and liberate him [or her], bring him [or her] up to the starting line of a race and then say you are free to compete with all the others, and still just believe that you have been completely fair" (The Leadership Conference, 2014). One might argue that discrimination no longer exists so the need for affirmative action is no longer necessary. On the other hand , one might argue the need to continue with affirmative action; , however, with changes. Affirmative action is important to our society in the past and the future; and it needs to continue as it is currently without changes.
...ith the ability to work their way up the social ladder, and bringing in revenue for local and nation governments. The students at the University of Michigan may or may not have a case against affirmative action that it is based on race, but the real problem with affirmative action is that it is not based on socioeconomic status.
First of all, affirmative action is legally wrong. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed to eliminate discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin (The Civil Rights Act of 1964, Sec. 202). Affirmative action ignores this by using race as a factor in college applications. This creates discrimination toward the majority group of America on the basis of race. In addition, the Fourteenth Amendment states that no “state [has the right to] deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without [the] due process of law” (U.S. Constitution, Amend. XIV, Sec. 1). By using race as a factor to take away education from some majorities,
The need for affirmative action was a concept noticed in 1865 during the passages of the Civil War amendments. During those years our country was still practicing in slavery and wrongful treatment of the black race. While blacks were being forced to comply to the rules of slavery, many individuals were denied their rights to food, clothing, shelter, employment, education and many other wants and/or needs. Similar acts such as these over time lead the law of affirmative action. Over the years, affirmative action plans and policies continue to merge to further in the efforts of benefiting the equality among historically disadvantaged ethnic groups as well as women. From our past to our present many people who are equally qualified and in need of jobs, services, assistance and/or necessities are denied due to their gender, race, religion, and/or ethnicity. Acts of discrimination are not just associated with employment but extend to educational opportunities, housing needs, contracting for small and large business and other public services.