what is affirmative action?

Answer 1

Affirmative action refers to concrete steps that are taken not only to eliminate discrimination—whether in employment, education, or contracting—but also to attempt to redress the effects of past discrimination. The underlying motive for affirmative action is the Constitutional principle of equal opportunity, which holds that all persons have the right to equal access to self-development. In other words, persons with equal abilities should have equal opportunities.

Affirmative action is NOT solely about race, but also gender and disability.

Answer 2

Affirmative action consists of steps taken to eliminate imbalances in the representation of groups of people that have been historically discriminated against.

For example, if an employer has a work force that is 5% African American and the labor pool that they recruit from is 25% African American, affirmative action laws require that the employer give preference in hiring to African Americans as long as they hold qualifications at least equal to other candidates.

It is actually against the law to consider race or gender if a candidate for employment or admission has inferior qualifications. People that say anything to the contrary are blatantly ignorant of the law and full of shiite.

Answer 3

Affirmative action began as a corrective measure[1] for governmental and social injustices against demographic groups that have been said to be subjected to discrimination in areas such as employment and education. The stated goal of affirmative action is to counteract past and present discrimination sufficiently that the power elite will reflect the demographics of society at large, at which point such a strategy will no longer be necessary.

Some groups who are targeted for affirmative action are characterized by race, gender, ethnicity, or disability status. In India, the focus has mostly been on undoing caste discrimination. In South Africa, the focus has been primarily race-based and, to a lesser extent, gender-based discrimination. When members of targeted groups are actively sought or preferred, the reason given is usually that this is necessary to compensate for advantages that other groups are said to have had (such as through institutional racism or institutional sexism or historical circumstances).

The theory is that a simple adoption of meritocratic principles along the lines of race-blindness or gender-blindness—or simply relying on elites to behave fairly—will not suffice to change the situation for several reasons.

Discrimination practices of the past preclude the acquisition of 'merit' by limiting access to educational opportunities and job experiences.[2]
Ostensible measures of 'merit' may well be biased toward the same groups who are already empowered.[3]
Regardless of overt principles, people already in positions of power are likely to hire people they already know, and/or people from similar backgrounds.[4]

Answer 4

affirmative action is to go ahead,do what you have been ordered or told to do usually by ones superior

Answer 5

The first four here amaze me.
Affirmative Action carries-out the idea that 'quotas' of minorities are to be hired solely on the basis of their minority status to the exclusion, in many cases, of qualification...a dumb idea.

Answer 6

Programs establishing preferences & quotas for members of groups statistically underrepresented in various fields.

Answer 7

Putting quotas on people according to race or gender.Hiring less qualified people to fill those quotas.White men only get jobs as last resort.

Answer 8

Judging people by the color of their skin, not their ability ... do I have enough blacks? Nope. Add a few more. There we go.

Answer 9

That's where you promote a person based on their disability or their color or sexual preference. Instead of his/her work ethics, ability, or education.

Answer 10

a terrible racist program.....which basically sends the messages to blacks and hispanics that they are unable to make it in to a job or university.....unless they are given help......basically calling them stupid..

It's disgusting