Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Professor Vargas-Ortiz
English 1301
5 November 2017
Affirmative action was issued in 1961, by President John F. Kennedy as a means of eliminating
racial bias when it came to employment or educational practices. Affirmative action is a policy
historically excluded groups in American society. Affirmative action policies often focus on
admission policies that provide equal access to those who have been historically excluded or
underrepresented, such as women or minorities. (Hultin, B.B., 2014). Because this act was
placed shortly after the Civil Rights movement, the minority was left with nothing due to the
limitation of their rights. It was not until these rights were accustomed to them, that minorities
and women were given an equal opportunity to be employed, (some minorities favored more
than Caucasians). This caused Caucasians and men to feel discriminated against and provoked
the want for equality. Discrimination amongst White Americans is referred to as reverse
racism since it is believed to be the same discrimination that minorities have faced in an
opposite direction.
The rate of poverty has continued to increase since the Great Recession in 2008. Many
individuals found themselves falling below the poverty line and never escaping it (Stevens,
2017); most of these being people of color. The purpose of affirmative action is to provide
opportunities for minorities and poor families to rise above the poverty line with access to
better paying jobs and affordable education. This is most commonly done by granting
educational admissions, which lead to well-paying jobs. Colleges and universities developed a
colorblind method, to assist in the selection process for financially unstable candidates to
attend their school without racial bias. The colleges would then encourage struggling students
to apply so that they are offered financial aid and on-campus support programs. This has
resulted in an increase of diversity within schools and graduates have reported that they have
acquired better jobs that increased their incomes, and influenced a better life style. It is also
said that beneficiaries of affirmative action have increased SAT scores by an additional 150 to
escape poverty. Todays society has seen an increase in the cost of food and other consumer
products that are necessary for survival. American history has been kind to the Caucasian race.
Historically whites have been afforded better opportunities to succeed than most other
ethnicities. Throughout world history Americans in general have been thought to have a
coveted lifestyle. As a result, countless immigrants are put under the assumption that they lack
the skills to ever become successful or escape poverty because of their cultural beliefs and
practices. The most common minority groups that require citizenship into the United States are
majority Hispanics and those who have fled their country for asylum. These people often find it
nearly impossible to obtain citizenship, which could promote a more comfortable lifestyle. In
addition to facing constant stereotypes and discrimination from other ethnic groups, the legal
immigration process can be costly and slow. For many this process can take years to
accomplish. The citizenship process consists of long lines and lacks interpreters, making
immigrants. Because these documents are not necessary in their native countries they may be
difficult to obtain. Those who have been fortunate enough to receive citizenship, are required
to learn the English language in order to receive a job which can be another added expense. For
Affirmative action is not favored among most Americans. They argue that affirmative
action is discriminatory against all those who are unqualified to receive the assistance. Some
However, I feel that the idea of affirmative action is fair since all citizens are not currently or
historically afforded the same opportunities to succeed. Reverse racism seems like a fictional
term. There is only racism. That is, discrimination against any type of ethnicity and any form of
discrimination is wrong. In all actuality, there is only one race: the human race. The oppositions
argument about affirmative action violating the rights of the Constitution is correct, but not in
their favor. This only proves my point about immigrants who have nothing, risking everything
just to be able to get a job and live under comfortable circumstances (Staff, 2009). What many
fail to realize is that affirmative action was created to give everyone an equal opportunity to
achieve the same goals. To offer a clearer picture of how affirmative action works and why it is
needed imagine two children in a race. One child is allotted a 5-yard head start. The child with
the head start will surely win the race. But if both children start from the exact same point, the
second child is given a fair chance to win. Affirmative action grants the second child a fair
chance. Affirmative action does not promise equality, but ensures that all involved are given a
chance to utilize their skills to complete the race. Affirmative action made sure the race was
possible or reasonable for both children. So, it is not that affirmative action is based on
The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the
basis of race. (Strauss, 2014). Everyone should be given an equal opportunity to live life
regardless of skin tone or gender. Based on research, the abolishment of affirmative action
would only cause further arguments and opposition because only wealthy, white Americans
would be afforded opportunities of success. In order to keep affirmative action going and to
appease both wealthy and poor American citizens; colleges, universities, and institutions of
employment should not question what ethnicity or the origin in which their candidates arrive
from. This will further emphasize their colorblind selection process. That way, college
admissions and employers will literally be blind to candidate skin complexions or genders;
Affirmative action is very much needed for maintaining fairness within the country. As
people, we all must learn to live with each other respectfully before we can discuss the issues
of fairness. We must also learn to avoid setting limitations on certain ethnicities to make one
race superior over another and base the winnings of lifes accomplishments and successes on
skill. It is only then, that our country will heal from its tragic history. Acquiring these abilities will
also aid in resolving countless other race and gender related issues our country faces today.
Reference Page
http://www.ncsl.org/research/education/affirmative-action-overview.aspx