Affirmative Action is Racial Discrimination

Affirmative Action as Racial Discrimination

The controversy over affirmative action is growing to embody most all selective decisions in American society. From public protection to college admissions, people are becoming resentful of such affirmative action programs. The applicability of these programs in today's American society has been challenged by people ranging from the everyday "Joe", who is finding reverse discrimination in the workplace, to college applicants, who are finding that it takes more than good grades to get admitted, to the Supreme Court, who is finding that some college admissions policies are unconstitutional and promote diversity through unfair means. In California, for example, Gov. Pete Wilson has already pushed an initiative ending affirmative action practices in colleges and universities. The initiative passed, after a 10-hour meeting, through The California Board of Reagents with a 10-15 vote. in Michigan, the state legislature is conducting hearings on the "fairness" of affirmative action. David Jaye, a Republican member of the Michigan State legislature, said affirmative action creates economic imbalances within the system. Affirmative action policies are means for reverse discrimination against the non-minority population and should be repealed by the United States government.

The phrase "affirmative action" was first used in a racial discrimination context in Executive Order No. 10,925 issued by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 (Brown). This executive order indicated that federal contractors should take affirmative action to ensure that job applicants and employees are treated "without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin"(Brown). Kennedy's executive order implied equal opportunity and nothing else. The system that has since evolved is a perversion of the original intent of affirmative action.

The dynamic history of affirmative action has its roots in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and stems from the United States Supreme Court Case of Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued Executive Order #11246 at Howard University that required federal contractors to undertake affirmative action to increase the number of minorities that they employ (Brown). He wanted to ensure that minorities were recruited to have real and equal opportunity to be hired and the...

... middle of paper ...

...ir character." Skin-color and social status should be irrelevant in hiring employees. Judging people by the "content of their character" and their capabilities will create a thriving country.

Works Cited:

"A Blow to Affirmative Action in Schools." New York Times. 15 August 1996. A26.

Ayres, Drummond Jr. "California Governor Vows to Cut Affirmative Action." New York Times. 1 June 1995. B10.

Bresler, Robert. "Affirmative Action on the Rocks." USA Today (Magazine). July 1996: P7.

Brown, Shelli. "History of Affirmative Action." Affirmative Action. 23 May 1996. <http://www.sru.edu/depts/cisba/comm/awalters/smgr/maarten/maxhpfro.htm>. 15 March 1998.

Greenhouse, Linda. "Administration Backs Off White Teachers's Dismissal." New York Times. 6 June 1997. B4.

Quigly, Dana. "Success?" New York Times. 25 August 1992: C5.

Reibstein, Larry. "What Color Is an A?" Newsweek. 29 Dec. 1997: 76.

Ryan, James. In Defense of Affirmative Action. New York: Harper, 1991. 37.

Shea, Christopher. "Under UCLA's Elaborate System Race Makes a Big Difference." Chronical of Higher Education. 28 April 1995: A12.

Williams, Ronald. "A New Opinion" Washington Post. 7 June 1995: B6.