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Essay On Affirmative Action Programs

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Besides just having economical programs in place, affirmative action programs are in different social institutions because they are intended to address the missing representation of the population due to previous discrimination against those groups. There have been studies done with evidence showing that “color-blind racism permeates American social institutions, especially in two arenas: professional education and sports.” (Bonilla-Silva and Dietrich, 2011, p196). It is important to note that both affirmative action programs and color-blindness have roles in an institution because it allows for understanding of the implications in addressing inequalities. Yet, educational institutions still have a “significant power to maintain racial hierarchies …show more content…

They argue that affirmative action is detrimental to their group in that this programs “reinforces the perceptions that minority groups are inferior” and require assistance to help level them onto the same playing field as the majority (Maio and Esses, 1998, p65). There has been encounters on university campuses where minority groups are disqualified through statements that says they only got accepted because of affirmative action programs and not their merits. This leads to another part of their argument about implementing affirmative action programs because the society values the achievement ideology where you pull yourself up by your bootstraps without any assistance. The achievement ideology can be argued to support color-blind racism because it is believed that everyone has an equal opportunity to get to the same position if they work hard. Yet, there are still more factors than just hard work that contributes to success. It’s important to understand the background and circumstances that individuals come from. Thus, affirmative action programs are doing nothing to address the inequalities and injustice that people of color are still

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Ironically, in the present day, the debate over affirmative action is still contested under the idea of fairness. The following essay will identify and analyze the history of American public opinion in regards to affirmative action and the issue of fairness. Obtaining accurate polling information on American views on affirmative action is very complex, in part because the policy means different things to different Americans. Further, the wording and the context in which poll questions are framed have a very clear effect on the responses received. In August, a poll by the Pew Research Center, asking whether affirmative action programs intended to increase the number of black and minority students on college campuses were viewed positively, showed that Americans consider affirmative action programs in general to be good, with 71% agreeing that the programs were a “good thing”.

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Affirmative action has become obsolete in today’s society. Affirmative action is an active effort to improve the employment or educational opportunities of members of minority groups and women; also: a similar effort to promote the rights or progress of other disadvantaged persons (Merriam-Webster, 2011). Today’s affirmative action will demoralize the very concepts that the policy was implemented to uphold: those of equality for all people regardless of color and discrimination. This policy supports racial multiplicity at the price of distinction, impartiality and experience; it also follows the line of reverse discrimination and sexual bias against white men (Reyna, Tucker, Korfmacher, & Henry, 2005).

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Throughout many of the affirmative action legal cases, one of the main arguments from proponents is that it is necessary in order to right the wrongs of past racial discrimination. Some say that affirmative action is justified because even though white applicants may be more qualified, this is only because they did not face the same hardships as their minority counterparts (Rachels, Ethics, 1973).  Many argue if we do not integrate disadvantaged minorities into mainstream social institutions, they will continue to suffer the discrimination that has plagued our country for centuries and that this is detrimental to not only the minorities but also society as a whole (Anderson, 2002, 1270–71). However, the debate has recently shifted to the benefits of diversity in the classroom which the Supreme Court has affirmed as being a positive thing

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