Affirmative Action is Reverse Discrimination Is it possible to fill out a job application, apply for college, or even fill out a simple survey without being asked to provide one’s ethnicity? I often wonder how many people actually look at the information I provide instead of the fact that I happen to be Hispanic. Does that make me any different? It is extremely frustrating to realize that despite the civil rights victories of the twenty-first century, our society is still obsessed with race. Advocates of affirmative action will love to tell the American people that minorities are truly benefited by these policies, and that they are thankful for the compensation of the discrimination of their ancestors. Here is one minority who will tell you very differently. Affirmative action is a process of reverse discrimination, giving me unfair advantages based on my race, disregarding my academic abilities and personal motivation. It is degrading that colleges do not think that I can succeed without my ethnicity being a factor in the admissions process. Affirmative action is in no way beneficial to the minorities today, and history will show how it is slowly turning into a process of reverse discrimination. During the tumultuous civil rights movement of the 1960’s, President Lyndon Johnson issued a call to action to make up for past discrimination of minorities in American history. This new method of civil rights justice took on the term “affirmative action”. Preceding this was a rise to equality among minorities, mainly African Americans and Hispanics. The breakthrough case Brown v. Board of Education desegregated public schools and opened the door for national equality of all citizens. In 1963 President John Kennedy developed eigh... ... middle of paper ... ...http://www.landmarkcases.org/> Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978) 438 U.S. 265, No. 76-811 http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgibin/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=438&invol=265 Schwartz, Michael. “The Ugly Effects of California’s Proposition 209.” Arizona Daily Wildcat. 4 Mar. 1998.http://wildcat.arizona.edu/papers/91/139/05_1_m.html “Table- UCLA Ethnic Enrollment(State and Non-State Support) (1) Fall 1973 To Fall 2000.” UCLA Office of Academic Planning and Budget, 2000. UCLA: November 2000. http://www.apb.ucla.edu/www00/histethn/FTOTETH.PDF Michigan Engineering. University of Michigan, College of Engineering. 27 Nov. 2004. < http://www.engin.umich.edu/> Wilson, Pete., Ward Connerly, and Pamela A. Lewis. “Argument in Favor of Proposition 209.” Homepage. 27 Nov. 2004 http://vote96.ss.ca.gov/Vote96/html/BP/209yesarg.htm
In the early history of the civil rights movement two prominent African American leaders, Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois arose to accomplish one goal, education for all African Americans. During the turn of the century, between the years 1895 and 1915 there were many theories on how African Americans were going to achieve first-class citizenship. With two separate views on how to accomplish this goal, the African American community was split in half on who to support. While Booker T. Washington believed in industrial and agricultural labor, W.E.B. Du Bois proposed a strategy of pursuit through higher education in order to gain first-class citizenship for the African American race.
...s, whose school of thought inspired much of the agitation which, after the break with the 'accommodationist' position of Washington, began to develop in the 1950's and exploded in the 1960's civil rights movement. His influence can be seen best in his prophetic work “The Souls of Black Folk”, a work which many credit for the inspiration of modern civil rights leaders. In it Du Bois describes the scope of American discrimination, and uses it to predict the formation of ‘black consciousness’ and activism in the future (B., Du Bois W. E. Souls of Black Folk.). Thats not to say there were no points of similarity between Washington and DuBois. Both worked against racially motivated violence and the lynchings African Americans faced in the south. Furthermore, while one of his harshest critics, Du Bois also appreciated and acknowledged many of Washington's accomplishments.
WEB Dubois and Booker T. Washington are both very influential speakers from the civil rights movement. They are responsible for two speeches written ten years apart that had huge effects on their societies. Although both speeches worked towards a racially equal society, Washington takes a slower approach where blacks start at the bottom of society and work their way to better opportunities while Dubois is looking for quicker solutions, and is more demanding of equality as he believes everyone should have equal opportunity right away. This strategy is more effective because he uses stronger diction and demands something to stop, instead of encouraging people to do what is right. Despite these differences, both speeches
Washington was able to attend Hampton Institute, which allowed him to work as a janitor to pay for his attendance. By receiving an education from the institution he was able to teach other colored people, and become this great leader among the black community. He felt, as colored people should only attend trade or industrial schools, and that is the type of school he opened in Tuskegee. Booker T. Washington was criticized by many pertaining to his views on education among his fellow colored people. W.E.B Du Bios was one of those critics; in his novel souls of black folks he talks about how Booker T. Washington was being submissive to the white people. Du Bios felt as Washington “surrender their civil and political rights”; Mr. Washington was okay with accepting an inferior position in order to gain economic status in the long run. Although Du Bios felt that Mr. Washington was submissive, Du Bios also called his program unique. Although Washington does want the colored people to advance, the things he asked of colored people contradict his motives. Du Bios challenges the things that Mr. Washington asked of them, which were to give up political power, insistence on civil rights, and higher education of the youth. Du Bios says that with this being asked of the colored people would lead to the disfranchisement of the Negro, a legal creation of a distinct status of civil inferiority for the Negro, and a steady withdraw of aid from institution for higher education of the Negro. What Washington called for would help black gain economic status short term, but the lack of equal opportunity with blacks ' education would keep them in an inferior place. Colored people should be able to learn everything the white people learn. Black people should not be subjected to just trade and industrial
Du Bois said in his speech, “We want discrimination in public accommodation to cease.” (5). This is literally what the quote says. The discrimination against African Americans had become overwhelming. Similarly, Booker T. said, “The wisest among my race understand that the agitation of questions of social equality is the [extremist] folly…must be the result of severe and [constant] struggle, rather than of artificial forcing…” (11). Again, Washington wanted to end discrimination against all races. They both wanted, and exceeded, to make racial relations better. Likewise, they both wanted to end racial discrimination. Additionally, they both had similar reasons for racial discrimination. In paragraph 8, Booker T. Washington said, “While doing this you can be sure in the future, as you have been in the past, that you and your families will be surrounded by the most patient, faithful, law-abiding, and unresentful people that the world has seen.” He is indicating that African Americans are trustworthy, but Caucasians still don’t trust them. Caucasians either supported African Americans or didn’t, and many did the latter because they didn’t trust African Americans. W.E.B Du Bois also said in paragraph 6, "We claim the right of freemen to walk, talk, and be with them that wish to be with us. No man has a right to choose another man’s friend, and attempt to do so is an impudent interference with the most
Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois, both early advocates of the civil rights movement, offered solutions to the discrimination experienced by black men and women in the nineteenth and twentieth century. Despite having that in common, the two men had polar approaches to that goal. Washington, a man condoning economic efficiency had a more gradual approach as opposed to Du Bois, whose course involved immediate and total equality both politically and economically. For the time period, Washington overall offers a more effective and appropriate proposition for the time whereas Du Bois's approach is precedent to movements in the future. Both have equal influence over African Americans in politics. Washington's proposal excels in reference to education while Du Bois can be noted for achieving true respect from white Americans.
...ncerning voting rights, social change, education, and the role of the black man in the South. Du Bois Believed that African Americans should get social and political equality immediately and through education, while Washington thought that African Americans should get social and political equality gradually and through trade skills. Although both offer valid points and arguments, Washington has a more convincing and beneficial philosophy than Du Bois. Booker T. Washington had a gradual approach towards political and social equality which allowed society to slowly accept African Americans into their society which allowed society to adjust better unlike Du Bois who wanted a drastic change. Washington also focused on having an education on trade skills that allowed African Americans to work and contribute to the economy, which allowed them to have a place in society.
Affirmative action in the U.S. started to come about in the early nineteen sixties. It was enacted along with many other anti-segregation laws, as part of the "Civil Rights act of 1964 and an executive order in 1965 (Affirmative, Encyclopedia Britannica par. 2)." Today affirmative action is still going strong. It has many positive aspects, but it also has several negative affects, one of which is "reverse discrimination.
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Washington 's programme naturally takes an economic cast” (Du Bois). Du Bois believed that Washington’s theory was a gospel of Work and Money that ultimately overshadowed the higher aims of life” Later he makes another statement so powerful that should have made all African Americans want to stand up and fight for a better social status and rights for both the South and North. He goes on stating “The growing spirit of kindliness and reconciliation between the North and South after the frightful differences of a generation ago ought to be a source of deep congratulation to all, and especially to those whose mistreatment caused the war; but if that reconciliation is to be marked by the industrial slavery and civic death of those same black men, with permanent legislation into a position of inferiority, then those black men, if they are really men, are called upon by every consideration of patriotism and loyalty to oppose such a course by all civilized methods, even though such opposition involves disagreement with Mr. Booker T. Washington.” (Du
Affirmative Action is a policy in the United States of America. It is in use to help minorities get equal treatment in admissions policies for big businesses and higher educational programs. In one way or another, this policy affects almost every person in America. It affects people directly, and most commonly, indirectly. When this policy affects people, it usually affects them in a negative way. When Affirmative Action first started, it was a descent policy, but with changes in society, it has become a policy that does more harm than good. Since this is what the policy currently does, Affirmative Action should be out of use for every application it has a function for. So, this policy should be out of every law book in America to eliminate the negative impact that it is causing. Affirmative Action is outdated because it is turning into a reverse discrimination policy.
Staats, P.S., Hekmat, H., & Staats, A.W. (2004). The psychological behaviorism theory of pain and the
After long years of suffering, degradation, and different sorts of discrimination which the disadvantaged group of people had experienced, the “Affirmative Action Law” was finally passed and enforced for the very first time on September 24, 1965. The central purpose of the Affirmative Action Law is to combat racial inequality and to give equal civil rights for each citizen of the United States, most especially for the minorities. However, what does true equality mean? Is opportunity for everyone? In an article entitled, “None of this is fair”, the author, Mr. Richard Rodriguez explains how his ethnicity did not become a hindrance but instead, the law became beneficial. However, Mr. Richard Rodriguez realized the unfairness of the “Affirmative Action” to people who are more deserving of all the opportunities that were being offered to him. Through Mr. Rodriguez’s article, it will demonstrates to the reader both favorable, and adverse reaction of the people to the Affirmative Action, that even though the program was created with the intention to provide equality for each and every citizen, not everyone will be pleased, contented, and benefit from the law.
Du Bois was a scholar activist who proposed lots of solutions for the issue of racism and discrimination. Du Bois was sort of an opposition to Washington’s ideology, as he strongly believes that it can only help to disseminate white’s oppression towards blacks. We can see his dissatisfaction based on his writing with a title On Booker T. Washington and Others. He wrote that Washington’s philosophy was really not a good idea because the white extremists from the south will perceived this idea as blacks’ complete surrender for the request of civil rights and political equality. Du Bois had a different view on this issue if compared to Washington because of their different early lifestyles. Unlike Washington, Du Bois was born free in the North and he did not receive any harsh experienced as a slave himself and was also grew up in a predominantly white area. In his writings, it is obvious that he thought that the most important thing that the black should gain was to have the equality with whites. Regarding the issue of the voting rights, Du Bois strongly believed that it is important for black people to agitate to get the right to vote. He also believed that the disfranchisement of poor men could mean the catastrophe of South’s democracy (Painter 157). In his writing with a title Of Our Spiritual Strivings, he wrote that it was significant for blacks to exercise the right to vote because there were whites that wanted to put them back in their inferior position—and it was
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...