Why Affirmative Action Is Wrong

Affirmative Action is one of the many social issues facing America today. Affirmative action was signed into place in 1961 by President Kennedy and allows minority groups or people who face discrimination to become employed or get an education that is equal to that of a white male. Groups that Affirmative Action aims to help are women, blacks, Latinos, and people with disabilities. While these policies were signed to slowly rid the workforce and schools from discrimination, it hurts people who do not face discrimination, specifically whites. Many white men and women lose special opportunities to work or go to college because of certain standards that the Affirmative Action laws require. Universities and the military require a certain number of minorities in order to meet the standards and have a more diverse atmosphere. An example of this is the California V. Bakke supreme court case of 1978.

In the United States justice is defined as equal treatment of all its citizens under the law. When one citizen is mistreated an injustice has been committed against all people. Affirmative Action is a program whose purpose is to make sure that citizens are treated equally by enforcing a set of policies which are designed to promote the inclusion of all individuals regardless of race, disability, sex, or religion. In the United States democracy we are all equal, but some groups have been enjoying more advantages in society than others for centuries. Current statistics show the depth of modern day racial gaps, which are rooted in historical discrimination and modern-day structural racism. Generations of nominal disadvantages have created

Many whites who opposed the Civil Rights movement as a whole also opposed affirmative action. Although affirmative action was designed to make up the difference for the position of America's minorities, many white conservative Americans believed that it was "reverse discrimination". Many colleges, students, and workers went to court to remove this action. How affirmative action worked was tweaked after a law suit by a white man, Allan Bakke, where he was suing the University of California at Davis Medical Medical School for rejecting him and in turn, accepting a less qualified minority-group student for the spot. Anti-affirmative action protests started to pop up on different University grounds, and the discussion spread. Although the court case, Bakke v. University of California, ruled in the favor of Affirmative Action, the conservative movement had put the system in widespread question.

Affirmative action is a social policy created to promote the welfare of minorities by supporting the idea that individuals are all created equal and should not be judged by race or gender. Therefore, in situations like job and university applications, we should consider minorities to be as feasible a choice for hire as a white male candidate, taking into consideration their background. In short, it tries to give minorities that have been at a disadvantage their whole life, an opportunity to ‘equal the playing field ' by providing a broader context by which to measure an applicant or prospective employee. In the end, however, this goal is not realized. Instead, superficial ‘quotas ' are established and the

So said one of the world’s most renown orators in his fight for racial equality. Eighty-five years later humanity continues to fight this battle in the attempt to end discrimination and its effects once and for all. Through affirmative action, America assumes it is progressing towards this ideal world; however, what many proponents fail to realize is that the policy ineffective and even flawed in its basic reasoning. While created for an admirable cause, ending racism and its long-lasting effects, affirmative action has actually harmed the minorities it was made to help, worsening the nation’s workforce simultaneously.

Throughout the world America is referred to as the land of opportunity a place where opportunity is limitless, but is that so called limitless opportunity available and equal for all? For years Affirmative Action has tried to level the laying field, but its black field workers are still being oppressed. It is evident that Affirmative action is ineffective with the differences in the number of employed black's compared to whites and their difficulties to get and keep a job, blacks repetition in society has been tarnished due to stereotypes, and blacks face hidden discrimination.

Affirmative action takes in the universities and the Universities “preferences have divided the campus” (Sacks, Thiel). Affirmative actions divide races and universities, forcing people to fall away from their dream colleges due to Affirmative action filling the vacant spots in the University. Affirmative has to stop, it is highly unneeded, after all “America is more divided by class and income difference than by race”(Frum).

Many colleges in United States are composed of an ethnically diverse student body. One of the reasons why the student body is full of diversity is because of the Affirmative Action. It is the policy that gives a special incentives to minorities and women to help promote diversity in school. Though it is a great idea to promote diversity in every college in United States, it is also a bad idea to continue this system. Many “A” students who are not minorities tend to get the same treatment as the “B” students who are minorities. Although accepted into school, these students who barely met the minimum criteria may have a tougher time at school because they may not be able to keep up with the pace of the classes since the schools have high expectations of its students. Furthermore, students who have worked hard to get good grades might be overlooked because the students who have lower grades will be accepted simply to fulfill the quota. Although promoting affirmative action is a great idea to seek diversity through different views from many different ethnicities, it will also take away people’s hard work, as well as producing more drop out students since they cannot keep up with what the university is expecting from them. Therefore, it is not morally justifiable or socially beneficial for the students since they may have a lower chance of succeeding at school.

Affirmative Action in colleges needs to happen and continue, but admittance should not just be based on race it should be based on other factors like GPA, their parents’ occupation and education, and neighborhood When colleges have a variety of students from different backgrounds and ethnicities it is proven to show that students learn better and have better discussion. As Finkelman states; “If we believe we learn from our students, and that our students learn from each other, then the importance of minority students in the class is obvious. A diversity of views leads to a better discussion and greater understanding among the students”. This is an issue that is big in many colleges, but many do not realize it because they have not experienced it. Without affirmative action “it is clear that no one teacher can articulate all viewpoints well, and that a diversity of student opinions makes for better classes”

America is founded on the belief that all citizens are free to pursue their ambitions regardless of race, color, creed, or national origin. Yet, for the last fifty years, Affirmative Action has created an educational and work environment less focused on equality and more focused on ethnicity. There is no benefit for the United States to enforce Affirmative Action for minorities in educational and employment opportunities and equal treatment, because it promotes reverse discrimination, devalues real accomplishments, and cultivates the minority struggle.

Throughout history America had a struggle against slavery and racism. After fighting for independence and freedom, America in current times is now free and mostly free of racism. Although “Affirmative Action” has caused some trouble due to the fact that people are claiming this process is racist and should not be used as a factor of getting into college. Affirmative Action is discrimination against assisting racial minorities in school admissions, hiring contracting in financial aid. (Sacks & Thiel) During times of less diversity and more stereotypes, institutes and other educational programs used Affirmative Action as a way to eliminate requests and choose the best person that qualifies. (Sacks & Thiel) Affirmative Action is no longer necessary because Affirmative Action uses race and not the advantages or disadvantages that people have, which may be unconstitutional and as well as illegal. (Ncsl) Without Affirmative Action students may use their “merit” scores as a factor of their acceptance (Sacks & Thiel) Lastly Affirmative Action is no longer needed because it increases racial tension. (Top 10)

Imagine a world where no one notices the color of each other’s skin, a world where everyone was treated equally, fairly, and without prejudice. This is the ultimate goal for our generation. We want to see equal opportunities for everyone regardless of sex, race, or nationality. The term affirmative action has been the center of national debate in the recent history with liberals, both black and white, arguing that affirmative action levels the playing field and makes up for historical prejudice and discrimination. Affirmative action means minorities that are any underrepresented group defined by race, ethnicity, or gender are preferably admitted to universities or employed in government and businesses.

Affirmative action remains and will continue to remain a controversial issue in American politics and daily discourse. Both proponents and opponents of affirmative action stand behind truths and myths, but it is crucial that we debunk some of these myths before blindly supporting them. Laws have changed, but discrimination persists. As President Lyndon Johnson said in 1965, "You do not take a person who, for years, has been hobbled by chains and liberate him, bring him up to the starting

March 6th, 1961 Affirmative Action policies in higher education were implemented (Infoplease). Affirmative Action was designed to provide equal access to universities for historically underrepresented minorities. The argument of whether Affirmative Action should be decimated is a simple one. Students who have the academic credentials and earn their way into college deserve to be accepted. For no reason should previously excluded minorities gain unfair leverage in an attempt to “right past wrongs”. But with Affirmative Action banned in only eight states, we are left with two questions; how exactly Affirmative Action affects the culture within universities to have it seen as an unjust policy, and can diversity continue to survive without this program.

Affirmative action is wrong and will not help solve the problems minorities face. The reason it is wrong is because it's discrimination. It has no place in today's society in today's society because it does more bad than good. In addition to that most people don't enjoy the presence of affirmative action. Also, it appears that affirmative action can actually be detrimental to employee's health.