What Affirmative Action is and How it Affects America

What Affirmative Action is and How it Affects America

Everyone in America has certain rights today written in a government document called the U.S. Constitution, but who is to say that they are enforced? One could turn on the television, read the newspaper, or listen to the radio only to hear about how someone is treated unfairly due to this evil action referred to as discrimination. Almost everybody in this great country has experienced some form of discrimination be it age, sex, race, or ethnic background. Whose job is it to protect the citizens of America from being treated unfairly? This answer is best defined by two words: Affirmative Action. Interesting questions arise while speaking about this subject such as: What is Affirmative Action and where did it begin? What are some of the positive and negative aspects of this plan and what examples show Affirmative Action working toward its purpose? How does it affect America as a whole? What does the government have to say about it according to the White House Staff Report on Affirmative Action (Is There a Need For it)?

Affirmative Action is, generally speaking, a way to reduce America's discrimination towards minorities and woman. It is comprised of subjects primarily, but not restricted to, equal opportunity in the work force and in education. The government decided to begin the seemingly impossible endeavor of ending discrimination in the United States. Though this dream is unrealized, that is not to say that one day the U.S. will have all of the country's problems solved and Affirmative Action can put us one step closer to that dream. The developers of Affirmative Action had that dream in mind during it beginning in 1964.

Although there is opposition, most political ...

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...s well as the citizens of the United States have a better understanding of what the U.S. can accomplish in order to benefit its well-being. Can a perfect society exist without a plan like Affirmative Action? One must judge for themselves whether or not the U.S. actually needs Affirmative Action.

Bibliography:

"Affirmative Action in Focus." "Policy.com." 1998. (20 Oct. 1999)

Cook, Jerry. "Being the Right Race Triples Your Chance of Admission." "UC Admissions Analysis." August 1998. (21 Oct. 1999)

Froomkin, Dan. "Affirmative Action Under Attack." "Washington Post.com." 1998. (20 Oct. 1999)

Pasour, Ernest. "Affirmative Action: A Counter-Productive Policy." 1996. (19 Oct. 1999)

"The White House Staff Report." "Affirmative Action Review, Report to the President." 1998. (15 Oct. 1999)

Wit, Maarten. "Affirmative Action." 1995 (21 Oct. 1999)