Affirmative Action
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Tanner Wallace
RHT 101-002
Essay 2: Explaining a Concept
Mr. Miller
Affirmative Action
The United States is not as united as it would like to think. One such program in place that is dividing the nation is Affirmative Action. Ever since it’s original introduction into American public policy, Affirmative Action has stirred up fierce debate. Offering up preferential treatment to those minority groups that have had social oppression in the past seems like the ethically correct thing to do but in fact it causes a sense of resentment for the party that does not benefit. The concept of benefiting groups of people based on their ancestry and not their personal merit is an unfair practice.
Throughout American history, there have always been groups of people that have been socially discriminated against for a variety of reasons including race, religion and gender. In an attempt to right the wrongs of the past, Affirmative Action programs were put into place within businesses and universities in the US. The aim of these programs is to promote diversity in government and private organizations, inclusion and representation in occupations, and improve the economic standing of minorities and women (Rosenfeld 124). Many people would likely agree that these goals would be the least we could do for the oppression of women and minorities but tipping the scale in the favor of any particular group leaves those left out of the equation with a sense of bitterness. Those who do not benefit are left with no advantages that are based purely on racial or gender criteria and are then automatically put into a state of disadvantage when it comes to getting jobs or being accepted into colleges.
While the intended purposes of Affirmative Action are admirable, the effective implementation of affirmative action requires the identification of people based on their race and sex. Thus we have a paradox—a program aimed at the elimination of making decisions based on race...
RHT 101-002
Essay 2: Explaining a Concept
Mr. Miller
Affirmative Action
The United States is not as united as it would like to think. One such program in place that is dividing the nation is Affirmative Action. Ever since it’s original introduction into American public policy, Affirmative Action has stirred up fierce debate. Offering up preferential treatment to those minority groups that have had social oppression in the past seems like the ethically correct thing to do but in fact it causes a sense of resentment for the party that does not benefit. The concept of benefiting groups of people based on their ancestry and not their personal merit is an unfair practice.
Throughout American history, there have always been groups of people that have been socially discriminated against for a variety of reasons including race, religion and gender. In an attempt to right the wrongs of the past, Affirmative Action programs were put into place within businesses and universities in the US. The aim of these programs is to promote diversity in government and private organizations, inclusion and representation in occupations, and improve the economic standing of minorities and women (Rosenfeld 124). Many people would likely agree that these goals would be the least we could do for the oppression of women and minorities but tipping the scale in the favor of any particular group leaves those left out of the equation with a sense of bitterness. Those who do not benefit are left with no advantages that are based purely on racial or gender criteria and are then automatically put into a state of disadvantage when it comes to getting jobs or being accepted into colleges.
While the intended purposes of Affirmative Action are admirable, the effective implementation of affirmative action requires the identification of people based on their race and sex. Thus we have a paradox—a program aimed at the elimination of making decisions based on race...