The Continuing Importance of Affirmative Action Essay -- Argumentative

The Continuing Importance of assentient Action Affirmative follow up is about to fruit quite a beating. Prominent Republicans from Phil Gramm to Pete Wilson to Bob pogey all plan on making the attack on optimistic fulfill a central plank of their campaign rhetoric. The Clinton administration, perhaps move to stem the attack before it begins, recently announced that it would reevaluate the deserve of all favorable action programs. And many of those to the left of Clinton oppose plausive action--albeit probably for different reasons than those to his right. Considering the overwhelming opposition to affirmative action, it seems improbable that affirmative action would have much to recommend it. provided this contention deserves examination. in that respect are a large number of incidentors contributing to a given up policys favorability it seems unlikely that all aspects of affirmative action, from morality to reality to the gray in between, count as strikes against it. Concerns over fairness to white males seem to be at the root of most opposition to affirmative action. This argument is tough to counter it seems clear that affirmative action does amount, strictly speaking, to reverse discrimination. For some, this fact alone is enough reason to ring the policy death knell. Yet this conclusion seems to me hasty. If affirmative action hurts white males only a little, til now helps minorities and women significantly, then we might well decide to keep affirmative action around, despite its unfairness. Private universities commonly employ policies of preference which are sometimes euphemistically termed development policies. Development means that there is a project effort on the part of admissions officers to admit students who come fro... ...(If you are dubious of this point, do a bit more reading and thinking.) More than gruelling the hiring and admissions standard by which minorities and women are measured, affirmative action works to de-e scalate pervasive racism. If an employer harbors racist, heterocentrist, or sexist views, then being forced to take a second look at minorities and women may counteract that prejudice. Affirmative action, then, may have less to do with lowering the standard by which minorities and women are measured, and more to do with equalizing opportunities given. That sounds to me like sound policy even Newt would find difficult to oppose--policies designed to ensure equality of opportunity. For as long as it has been policy, affirmative action has been implemented with an eye towards equalizing opportunity. A more admirable, mainstream ideal is difficult for me to envision.