The Right Reaction to Affirmative Action Essay -- Inequality Equality

The Right Reaction to Affirmative Action As much as we would like to forget it, racial and gender disparity has been a part of our history since America was young. Racial disparity is still very evident in American society today as illustrated by continued racial discrimination and remaining signs of societal segregation. One of the key issues that arise when regarding affirmative action is whether or not affirmative action fairly promotes equality and atones for past prejudices. Another concern is whether the current affirmative action policy is the right policy to use. Through the discussion of empirical claims, moral claims, public opinion, international statistics, and the history involved in affirmative action, we have decided that the best position for our candidate is pro-affirmative action with some restrictions. The debate on affirmative action exists because the concerns it deals with impact a vast amount of people, and the effectiveness of affirmative action is constantly questioned. It is a very divisive issue because affirmative action affects different groups of people in different ways, and some benefit more from affirmative action than others. In addition, it causes people to be classified into groups, and at the same time, strives to break down group barriers. It is an issue that is difficult to resolve because people have varied ideas about how the problems of racial inequality and historical discrimination should be addressed. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy created the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity to make sure that hiring practices were made without racial discrimination. Following this order in 1965 Lyndon B. Johnson stated: the executive order requires government contract... ...y 2003. http://www.aacte.org/Membership_Governance/affirmativeactionstmt.pdf {secondary scholarly; print via internet} (not used for evidence) Unemployment rates. 2004. Public Agenda. <http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/factfiles_detail.cfm?issue_type=race&list =9>. {secondary scholarly; print via internet; reputable} Wilson, Pete. "Proposition 209 and the affirmative action debate on the University of California campuses." Feminist Studies 25 (n.d.)1999 <http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=37&did=000000042121378&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1082526756&clientId=9269>. {primary scholarly; print via internet; authoritative} Williams, Walter. Affirmative Action Can't Be Mended. 15 Dec. 1997. CATO Institute. <http://www.cato.org/dailys/12-15-97.html>. {popular news; internet publication; apparently credible} The Right Reaction to Affirmative Action Essay -- Inequality Equality The Right Reaction to Affirmative Action As much as we would like to forget it, racial and gender disparity has been a part of our history since America was young. Racial disparity is still very evident in American society today as illustrated by continued racial discrimination and remaining signs of societal segregation. One of the key issues that arise when regarding affirmative action is whether or not affirmative action fairly promotes equality and atones for past prejudices. Another concern is whether the current affirmative action policy is the right policy to use. Through the discussion of empirical claims, moral claims, public opinion, international statistics, and the history involved in affirmative action, we have decided that the best position for our candidate is pro-affirmative action with some restrictions. The debate on affirmative action exists because the concerns it deals with impact a vast amount of people, and the effectiveness of affirmative action is constantly questioned. It is a very divisive issue because affirmative action affects different groups of people in different ways, and some benefit more from affirmative action than others. In addition, it causes people to be classified into groups, and at the same time, strives to break down group barriers. It is an issue that is difficult to resolve because people have varied ideas about how the problems of racial inequality and historical discrimination should be addressed. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy created the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity to make sure that hiring practices were made without racial discrimination. Following this order in 1965 Lyndon B. Johnson stated: the executive order requires government contract... ...y 2003. http://www.aacte.org/Membership_Governance/affirmativeactionstmt.pdf {secondary scholarly; print via internet} (not used for evidence) Unemployment rates. 2004. Public Agenda. <http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/factfiles_detail.cfm?issue_type=race&list =9>. {secondary scholarly; print via internet; reputable} Wilson, Pete. "Proposition 209 and the affirmative action debate on the University of California campuses." Feminist Studies 25 (n.d.)1999 <http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=37&did=000000042121378&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1082526756&clientId=9269>. {primary scholarly; print via internet; authoritative} Williams, Walter. Affirmative Action Can't Be Mended. 15 Dec. 1997. CATO Institute. <http://www.cato.org/dailys/12-15-97.html>. {popular news; internet publication; apparently credible}