Gwyn Thomas

Affirmitive Action

 Affirmative Action perpetuates the deep racial, economic, and social divides currently existing in America.  Although ?leveling the playing field? is its stated goal, Affirmative Action does nothing of the sort.  Choosing to hire or accept applicants due to their race not only makes exceptions for poor performance, but also alienates individuals of the racial majority who may have better credentials. 

The American dream is the idea that someone can come from nothing, and through their hard work, accomplish whatever they set out to do.  Affirmative Action undermines this American ideal by communicating to minorities that their physical attributes are as beneficial as others? own hard work.  Not only does Affirmative Action reward one?s race, it effectively punishes those members of the majority for aspects of themselves they are unable to change.  Advocates for this program justify such prejudice as simply ?righting? the historically uneven races in America. 

If the world population were to follow such a principle of ?an eye for an eye? in order to level previous inequalities, history would tell a very different tale.  Perhaps all of Japan would have been obliterated for its transgressions in World War Two.  Jews may have wiped out the entire German population.  Christians could have killed off the entirety of the Roman Empire.  Affirmative Action is therefore faulted in its attempt to rectify historic discrimination through a renewal of favoritism. 

Posted at 01:04PM Oct 17, 2007 by THOMAS, GWYNNETH in General  |  Comments[1]