What are the best arguments in FAVOR of affirmative action.?

Question

We hear the negative all the time on this board. What good can affirmative action do?

Answer 1

It help us minorities continue to have the same rights to work in something other than less than demeaning jobs. Before Affirmative Action, some of the best jobs and schools were a 'White Men's Only' club. And although we'd like to think racism and sexist ideas doesn't still exist in America, I don't want them to get rid of Affirmative Action to find out the hard way.


I also want to add that Affirmative Action doesn't just affect races, either. Please be aware that alot of companies also keep open statistics on women in the workplace as well.

Answer 2

There aren't any favorable reasons for Affirmative Action. It is a relic from the 1960s that needs to be abolished.

I don’t mean to keep picking on you hichefheidi, but how on God's green earth are you a fellow Libertarian?

Libertarians want the government out of people's lives not forcing more regulations on them.

I agree diversity is a good thing. But diversity for diversity's sake benefits no body. It stops a segment of the population from achieving greatness by lower standards for college admissions and employment for this certain segment, while at the same time it forces out better qualified candidates relegating them to lower colleges and places of employment. This does not increase the competitiveness of colleges, and certainly lowers the competitive standards of US companies, If foreign companies are not bound by the same constraint of hiring less qualified employees, how will US companies compete with them? And in the currently global competitive market that every corporation faces, the loss of any edge could be disastrous both for US corporations and the country as a whole.

Answer 3

The goals of Affirmative Action (IMO) should be:

- To ACTIVELY COUNTER the accumulated bigotry, prejudice, and hatred of the past...not just with words, but with real, concrete actions.

- To make it perfectly clear, for all people, in all places and conditions, and at all times, that those actions mentioned were both morally wrong and utterly reprehensible.

- To repair the damage - physical, psychological, and fiscal - done to those members of our human community and their decendants by the denial to them of equal rights, equal powers, equal access, equal justice, equal courtesy, and equal humanity.

- To heal the rifts between the "races," and to make it crystal clear that we are all one race - HUMAN - and that attacking any such "sub-group" attacks ALL of us.

- To tell our children - ALL our decendants - that this behavior is, and must be labeled inexcusable, unacceptable, and behind us - Forever!

THIS is the Final Objective. Until it is reached, the specter of Racial Hatred/Violence can still arise.

Key Question: do we have the courage to Finish The Job?

Answer 4

I can see no good from it. It is at best a counter productive attempt to fix racism and the problems created by racism. If one group is treated with favoritism it only encourages more racism therefor creating the same problem we are trying to correct. Give every citizen an equal chance and let the better candidate get the job. I don't care what race or gender a person is their opportunities should be based on their preparation and skills.

Answer 5

Like all destructive social programs, it was created with the best of intentions. However, as the saying goes, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

It is a good idea to help those of our society that are less fortunate, whether they are a minority, poor, elderly, or whatever. However, affirative action helps those in need by causing pain and suffering to others. How can we call it a good program, if any small amount of good it does comes only at the cost of pain of another?

Self sacrifice is truly noble. To FREELY give up something of your own to help your fellow man is a great act of love and humanity. However, when you are FORCED to sacrifice, it is no longer noble. When your wealth and opportunities are stolen and given to another, it is theft, plain and simple.

Affirmative action can and does help a small few, but the cost is our freedom, integrity, and ethics. That cost is too high.

Answer 6

This is really a timely question, considering whites will be a minority in Arizona by 2008.

Answer 7

Diversity benefits everyone, from the government, to education, the arts, society, the workplace, etc...Diversity is a good thing. AA may not be the best way to achieve diversity, but the goal of bringing diversity to the forefront of debate is a VERY good thing

Answer 8

Institutionalizes, encourages, and legitimizes a permanent racial/ethnically segregated society, rather than a color-blind, merit-based one....if you think that's a good idea.

Answer 9

Well if you traveled back in time 40 years... you could make a case for it.

Answer 10

"There aren't any?"

Please!

George W. Bush: "As all of us saw on television, there is also some deep, persistent poverty in this region as well. And that poverty has roots in a history of racial discrimination, which cut off generations from the opportunity of America. We have a duty to confront this poverty with bold action."