Affirmative Action and how it impacts Americans in today's society?

Question

Does anyone have thoughts on this? Serious answers only, please.

Answer 1

First, you have to remember that affirmative action only applies to businesses which receive more that $50,000 worth of income from a federal agency. This can be through both contracts and grants. Also, it only applies when the applicants are equally qualified.

A lot of detractors try and ignore this fact and make it sound as though unqualified minorities have to be hired by everyone.

That being said, I think it makes less impact in the workplace than most people thing, but it does make a large impact when institutions like schools come up with their own affirmative action programs (like that debacle in Michigan a few years back). I think that affirmative action needs to slowly be phased out over the next 20 or so years. This could be done by raising the income threshold, or adding other qualifications. There will always be racism around, but I think that blatanly inequitable acts based on race are on the decline.

Answer 2

It's funny that you bring this up because my sister recently came home crying after her professor called her a racist. They were apparently debating this exact topic.

Affirmative Action was a great way to make sure that employers hired minorities after African Americans were given equal rights. But like many things that our government still holds on to, it is a thing of the past and is no longer needed. If anything, it promotes the issue of race. Rather then looking at color and ancestral background before accepting a student into a certain school, or hiring a new employee, I believe that the persons qualifications should be evaluated and compared. I don't believe that it is fair in anyway to give grants and scholarships to minority students simply because of their race/skin color. Race/Skin color is not something that is earned, it is something you are born with, just as some people have blue eyes and some have green.
Affirmative action holds onto the issue of race/skin color and hinders acceptance rather then promoting it.

Answer 3

Affirmative Action is necessary, I think, in order to help women and other minorities. However, sometimes it is abused, or someone more qualified gets passed over to fill the minority quota. But certainly, many women or minorities would not be able to have high paying jobs, now. Unfortunately, there is still alot of racism and discrimination in this country.

Answer 4

Affirmative Action helps address the history and LEGACY of oppression. By law, women and minorities were excluded from so many opportunities --for centuries-- that programs were/are necessary to address the generations of unfair privileges white men have enjoyed. Some white men (and their narrow-minded supporters) feel that white men are being discriminated against but they are wrong. They are framing the issue as one group receiving benefits while they (white men) are "discriminated" against. The problem is: white men are not looking at how many privileges they enjoy today because of the oppression of other groups. Generations of privileges accumulate over time. Changing discriminatory laws is not enough. Programs like Affirmative Action are necessary because they attempt to address the history and legacy of white male privilege. White women who do not support Affirmative Action need to check themselves since white women, as a group, have benefited the most from Affirmative Action.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

I know for a fact it's racism at its finest. In 1973,after qualifying for the Houston Police Department, I was taken into a room and told by a civil service worker, sorry, you're the wrong sex and color.

Answer 7

It helps maintain the racial divide. The "minorities" continue to see themselves as needing help & as victims. Some whites see the minorites as not as capable & that they would not be as successful without the "help" of well meaning whites.

Answer 8

I dont think it has as much of an impact as many people think.

Answer 9

It promotes racism. Attention should be paid to one based on their intelligence, reasoning (logical or moral or both), and ability.