The Usefulness of Affirmative Action

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The Usefulness of Affirmative Action

The goal of affirmative action is to compensate for past injuries which minorities endured. Affirmative action gives special privileges to minorities based solely on the color of their skin, not on their abilities or their financial situation. The goal of affirmative action is to remedy the injuries caused by discrimination. Yet after analyzing affirmative action one could determine that it seeks to cure discrimination with more discrimination.

According to a study conducted by an economics professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz from 1997 to 2000 the number of African American business owners has increased by 31 percent. This number increased by an even more astounding 50 percent for African American women. Also women of minority decent make up 14.5 percent of America?s private sector workforce, a substantial increase from only a decade earlier. The women in this study were African American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American. Members from each group also gained employment as officials and managers. A Census conducted in 2000 showed that African American couples who stay together earned just about as much as white couples. The number of firms owned by minority women has increased 31.5% between 1997 and 2002 that?s more than twice as fast as all women-owned firms, and more than four times the national average. Further, based on recent growth rates, in 2002 there will be 14,116 minority women-owned firms with revenues of $1 million or more, and 111 with 100 or more employees.

Given these statistics it seems obvious that affirmative action is not needed for minorities to succeed in the work place. All that is needed for success is dedication and motivation.

Advocates of Affirmative action claim to support equal opportunity and the elimination of discrimination on the basis of race, gender, ethnic background or any other standard that would deprive a person of opportunities to live and work. One website stated that SAT is a test used as a tool to promote racial segregation and should not be considered when screening potential college applicants. The University Of Michigan?s admission policy is based on a point system. A student can receive a maximum of 150 points. Receiving 100 points usually results in admittance to the school. Students who were African American were automatically award...

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...al's race, color, religion, sex or national origin."

But to bring such a suit, he would have to belong to a class protected by Title VII: that is, he would have to be a minority.

This is yet another example of Affirmative Action?s double standard this man was denied a job based on the color of his skin and was denied protection under the law because he was not of minority decent. This man was a victim of discrimination but because he is not a minority it is viewed by some as just ?tough luck?. The whole idea of Affirmative Action is a double standard. It claims to promote equality when all it really does is create more social gaps and hard feelings between different social groups within our society.

Affirmative Action?s practices contradict its own opinions. It?s trying to justify the theory that two wrongs make a right. Affirmative Action seems to have done more harm than good and merely add to discrimination and conflict rather than solving past problems. While Affirmative Action may have at one time served a useful purpose it seems to no longer be productive and is merely a negative system creating further problems. Affirmative Action has outlived its usefulness.

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