Civil Rights Law and Affirmative Action

1025 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: What are the pros and cons of affirmative action

“The term “affirmative action” was first introduced by President Kennedy in 1961 as a method of redressing discrimination that had persisted in spite of Civil Rights Laws and constitutional guarantees” (Brunner and Rowen, “A History and Timeline of Affirmative Action”). Then on September 24, 1965, affirmative action was enforced for the first time. “Issued by President Johnson, the executive order requires government contractors to “take affirmative action” toward prospective minority employees in all aspects of hiring and employment” (Brunner and Rowen, “Timeline of Affirmative Action Milestones” ). Towards the late ‘70s, some problems began to arise (Brunner and Rowen, “A History and Timeline of Affirmative Action” ). As time progressed, more and more court cases were fought against affirmative action and the universities that enforced it. Some of the most famous cases were Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, United States v. Paradise, Fisher v. University of Texas, and Wygant v. Jackson Board of Education. The government of the United States should no longer utilize Affirmative Action programs because they lead to minorities being stereotyped as inferior, put minorities in positions they are not qualified to hold, and cause universities to lower their entrance qualifications. The United States government should abolish Affirmative Action programs because they lead to minorities being stereotyped as inferior. When authors Richard Sander and Stuart Taylor Jr. interviewed Jareau Hall, a student who experienced the effects of affirmative action, they found that when the government enforced affirmative action it actually created stereotyping. As Hall said, “I was immediately stereotyped and put into a box becau... ... middle of paper ... ...use they lead to minorities being stereotyped as inferior, put minorities in positions they are not qualified to hold, and cause universities and businesses to lower their entrance qualifications. Students of all kind will suffer if affirmative action is not stopped. Therefore, Affirmative Action needs to banned in the United States of America. Works Cited Brunner, Borgna, and Beth Rowen. "A History and Timeline of Affirmative Action." Infoplease. Infoplease. Web. 15 Mar. 2014 Sander, Richard, and Stuart Taylor, Jr. "The Unraveling of Affirmative Action." The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company. Web. 19 Mar. 2014. Bellin, Judan. "Inaction Affirmative." Commentary 135.4 (2013): 47-49. Literary Reference Center. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. Brunner, Borgna, and Beth Rowen. "Timeline of Affirmative Action Milestones." Infoplease. Infoplease. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.

Show More
Related

  • Pros And Cons Of Selective Incorporation

    906 Words  | 2 Pages

    3.The term Affirmative action has played a huge role in the past one hundred years of American politics. It is simply defined as an action or policy favoring those who tend to suffer. Civil Rights of American citizens have drastically changed because of Affirmative action. With almost anything in politics, there is a debate for and against Affirmative action. Supporters of this say that this helps encourage e...

    Read More

  • None of This is Fair by Mr. Richard Rodriguez

    664 Words  | 2 Pages

    Discrimination is still a chronic global issue, and drastic inequalities still exist at the present time. Thus, the Affirmative Action Law is an important tool to many minorities most especially to women, and people of color, for the reason that this program provides an equality on educational, and professional opportunities for every qualified individual living in the United States. Without this program, a higher education would have been impossible for a “minority students” to attain. Additionally, without the Affirmative Action, a fair opportunity to have a higher-level career...

    Read More

  • Affirmative Action and College Admissions: A Legal and Ethical Analysis

    3614 Words  | 8 Pages

    The institution of public education has been one of the most controversial establishments in the United States since its inception. More specifically, equality in the conditions and the opportunities it provides has been sought as one of its major goals. There is little doubt that minority ethnic groups have struggled to achieve educational equality, just as they have struggled for equality in other aspects of life. One way that minorities have tried to achieve equality in education is through lobbying for help in college admissions for their respective groups. This social practice has been debated on many grounds, including necessity and ethical permissibility.

    Read More

  • Hopwood Vs Texas

    1474 Words  | 3 Pages

    Affirmative action, while a great idea in the beginning, is no longer needed to make up for the past discrimination of women and minorities. It does not get rid of discrimination, but rather creates it towards whites and men. Any form of discrimination is wrong, whether intentional or unintentional. Businesses and universities will set aside a separate pool for minorities and women so they don’t have to originally compete against the whole pool of applicants. A person’s qualifications and how they got to where they are should not be questioned because of affirmative action. The only reason some people are still questioned or considered undeserving is because affirmative action still takes place. Getting rid of affirmative action in universities and businesses will eliminate reverse discrimination and ensure that their qualifications, along with achievements, will not be questioned based on the skin color or gender of a

    Read More

  • Affirmative Action

    1139 Words  | 3 Pages

    majority, does not advance the cause of minorities in a meaningful way, and needs to be

    Read More

  • Reverse Discrimination In College Admissions

    1249 Words  | 3 Pages

    Affirmative action, the act of giving preference to an individual for hiring or academic admission based on the race and/or gender of the individual has remained a controversial issue since its inception decades ago. Realizing its past mistake of discriminating against African Americans, women, and other minority groups; the state has legalized and demanded institutions to practice what many has now consider as reverse discrimination. “Victims” of reverse discrimination in college admissions have commonly complained that they were unfairly rejected admission due to their race. They claimed that because colleges wanted to promote diversity, the colleges will often prefer to accept applicants of another race who had significantly lower test scores and merit than the “victims”. In “Discrimination and Disidentification: The Fair-Start Defense of Affirmative Action”, Kenneth Himma responded to these criticisms by proposing to limit affirmative action to actions that negate unfair competitive advantages of white males established by institutions (Himma 277 L. Col.). Himma’s views were quickly challenged by his peers as Lisa Newton stated in “A Fair Defense of a False Start: A Reply to Kenneth Himma” that among other rationales, the Fair-Start Defense based on race and gender is a faulty justification for affirmative action (Newton 146 L. Col.). This paper will also argue that the Fair-Start Defense based on race and gender is a faulty justification for affirmative action because it cannot be fairly applied in the United States of America today. However, affirmative action should still be allowed and reserved for individuals whom the state unfairly discriminates today.

    Read More

  • Affirmative Action: Prejudice in the College Admissions Process

    935 Words  | 2 Pages

    ..., or replaced with a policy based on socioeconomic status. Abolishing affirmative action completely has its disadvantages, for it does not increase diversity on campus. An admission policy favoring first-generation college students helps to increase diversity on campus. However, the purpose of affirmative action should not be to increase diversity on campus; it should be about giving disadvantaged students an opportunity at a better life. A policy based on socioeconomic status does that. Affirmative action must be put to an end and replaced with one of these alternatives. This country was established on the ideals of equality for all races, and affirmative action goes against all these ideals. Martin Luther King once said, “All men are created equal.” The color of someone’s skin should not be a determining factor for admissions into a certain college or university.

    Read More

  • Affirmative Action in College Admissions

    1570 Words  | 4 Pages

    According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, affirmative action is “an active effort to improve employment or educational opportunities for members of minority groups and women.” However, despite its well-intentioned policies, it has been the source of much controversy over the years. Barbara Scott and Mary Ann Schwartz mention that “proponents of affirmative action argue that given that racism and discrimination are systemic problems, their solutions require institutional remedies such as those offered by affirmative action legislation” (298). Also, even though racism is no longer direct, indirect forms still exist in society and affirmative action helps direct. On the other hand, opponents to affirm...

    Read More

  • Civil Rights: Affirmative Action

    1165 Words  | 3 Pages

    Holzer, H., & Neumark, D. (2000). What Does Affirmative Action Do?. Cornell University. Retrieved February 25, 2014, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/2696075?Search=yes&resultItemClick=true&searchText=affirmative&searchText=action&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Daffirmative%2Baction%26amp%3Bprq%3Daffirmative%2Baction%26amp%3Bhp%3D25%26amp%3Bacc%3Don%26amp%3Bwc%3Don%26amp%3Bfc%3Doff%26amp%3Bso%3Drel%26amp%3Bracc%3Doff

    Read More

  • Is Affirmative Action still needed?

    973 Words  | 2 Pages

    Today there is considerable disagreement in the country over Affirmative Action with the American people. MSNBC reported a record low in support for Affirmative Action with 45% in support and 45% opposing (Muller, 2013). The affirmative action programs have afforded all genders and races, exempting white males, a sense of optimism and an avenue to get the opportunities they normally would not be eligible for. This advantage includes admission in colleges or hiring preferences with public and private jobs; although Affirmative Action has never required quotas the government has initiated a benefits program for the schools and companies that elect to be diversified. The advantages that are received by the minorities’ only take into account skin color, gender, disability, etc., are what is recognized as discriminatory factors. What is viewed as racism to the majority is that there ar...

    Read More

  • affirmative action

    1823 Words  | 4 Pages

    Affirmative action is an attempt by the United States to amend a long history of racial discrimination and injustice. Our school textbook defines affirmative action as “a program established that attempts to improve the chances of minority applicants for educational or employment purposes, although they may have the same qualifications, by giving them leverage so that they can attain a level that is equal to caucasian applicants” (Berman 522). There are people that support and oppose this issue. Opponents of affirmative action have many reasons for opposing this issue, one of them being that the battle for equal rights is over, and that this advantage made for people of color discriminates against people that are not of color. The people that defend affirmative action argue this advantage is needed because of how badly discriminated the people of color once were. Because of the discrimination that once was these people claim that they are at a disadvantage, and always have been, therefore equality of opportunity is needed. It is also said that affirmative action is used to encourage diversity and integration. This paper will discuss the history of affirmative action, how it is implemented in society today, and evaluate the arguments that it presents.

    Read More

  • Affirmative Action and Higher Education Admissions

    1665 Words  | 4 Pages

    Signed in an executive order by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity was created to ensure that hiring and employment practices are free of racial bias. Three years later, President Lyndon Johnson presented the Civil Rights Act in 1964 prohibiting discrimination of all kinds based on race, color, religion, or national origin (Wang & Shulruf, 2012). Later that same year, President Johnson gave a commencement speech attempting to give an ethical response to the losses both materially and mentally to the African-Americans in slavery in the United States (Chace, 2011). Within the later years of the 1960s, higher education institution administrators, in an effort to boost under-represented groups of minorities, introduced the affirmative action concept into the admissions processes (Wang & Shulruf, 2012). What has been the effect of these monumental milestones for minorities and under-repre... ...

    Read More

  • Racism In Racism

    1685 Words  | 4 Pages

    In our society today it is very sad but racism still occurs. If we banish Affirmative Action policies across the board we no longer protect woman, minorities and certain persons in specific socio-economic classes that would normally not get the benefit of the doubt since “odds” it seems are considerably stacked against them. In the case Grutter v. Bollinger it is said that Affirmative Action is no longer a he...

    Read More

  • Affirmative Action on Social Inequality

    1665 Words  | 4 Pages

    Pursuing this further, in the beginning, from the sociological perspective, affirmative action was approved in order to reprimand the African Americans who have suffered from discrimination through the years. Now this policy has spread to all minorities and are now seen as quotas where one minority has an advantage over another. That is why there are many people who do not agree with affirmative action. Certain groups can create an opportunity for themselves and only gain advantages that the p...

    Read More

  • Why Affirmative Action Should Be Eliminated

    1239 Words  | 3 Pages

    Affirmative action policies were created to help level the playing field in American society. Supporters claim that these plans eliminate economic and social disparities to minorities, yet in doing so, they’ve only created more inequalities. Whites and Asians in poverty receive little to none of the opportunities provided to minorities of the same economic background (Messerli). The burden of equity has been placed upon those who were not fortunate enough to meet a certain school’s idea of “diversity” (Andre, Velasquez, and Mazur). The sole reason for a college’s selectivity is to determine whether or not a student has the credentials to attend that school....

    Read More

More about Civil Rights Law and Affirmative Action

Open Document