2007-12-02 08:02:32 · 9 answers · asked by ThisGuyRules 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Affirmative action is a general term to refer to all sorts of programs and policies that give historically disadvantaged minorities an advantage over the majority. This can include reverse discrimination, which I would define as the selection of a candidate solely because they are a member of a "protected" class, quotas (selecting a certain percentage from a protected class), and giving any type of advantage to those of a protected class.
Personally, I think affirmative action continues to make race a major issue when it is not necessary.
2007-12-02 08:22:28 · answer #1 · answered by msi_cord 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
To equally give other races, minorities the same opportunity as others(whites). But it still doesn't work as long as you have racist people at the top. It has been tested time and time again where 2 applications will be sent to a major corporation with the white person having less experience and education than the minority, and they will still choose the white person. Also, it's not just race or color involved. It's also gender and religion and to add to the pot, appearances. Try sending an overweight person to be a host or hostess at a restaurant. It's a lawsuit waiting to happen. I work for a large corporation that upper management told my co-worker, which was black and overweight that she would only get the supervisor position "if" she lost weight. Her credentials were impeccable! And they needed her expertise. So she started losing weight , about 15lbs but needed to lose about 75-100lbs. So they went ahead and promoted her thinking that she was on track to continue to lose. She didn't, and after about 2 years of harassing & stressing her about it, she left the company. To this day, I have never seen an overweight (obese) female upper manager. But you see obese guys all of the time. Just look at the major news stations on television. Fat guys, no fat women. Also, I had a friend in HR that was told to find a managers position for the husband of an upper manager when he had only worked briefly as a used car salesman. When he reiterated that others with degrees & corporate experience were next to be considered for the position, they told him to give him the position or he himself would be looking for a new job. So, in short we need affirmative action, but it's still discriminatory. And the only ones that do not agree are the ones that have never experience it.
2007-12-02 16:29:20 · answer #2 · answered by dtown 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Affirmative action is the blanket term for policies that MANDATE discrimination in favor of those considered 'under represented' in some area. Anyone disagreeing with this statement, either does not understand how the policies actually work, or is lying.
2007-12-02 16:06:59 · answer #3 · answered by STEVEN F 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you are one of the protect under affirmative action you only have to be less than one half as good as a person who is not protected under affirmative action.
2007-12-02 16:06:07 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
You mean "Reverse Discrimination". It's discrimination, except against everybody not in a protected class. "Affirmative Action" is a meaningless name coined by some politically correct liberal. If you think about, it literally means nothing.
2007-12-02 16:05:25 · answer #5 · answered by trentrockport 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
A well intended idea that has long since gone bad and should be ended as, fair employment laws as well as americans with disabilities laws performs the function of what it was intended for.
2007-12-02 16:06:36 · answer #6 · answered by sociald 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It helps people who are not as smart as others to still be able to land a job.
2007-12-02 16:18:42 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's one more in a long line of failed socialist programs.
2007-12-02 16:06:02 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
minority over majority
2007-12-02 16:06:41 · answer #9 · answered by Helpkwas! 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋