Affirmative action is defined as a set of guidelines intended to rectify historic discriminations against specific groups by making special efforts to provide members of those groups with the same access to education and employment, as everyone else. Since some believe that people belonging to a majority group have an advantage when applying for colleges or employment, affirmative action would level the playing field for minority groups. When I was thinking about what a minority is, I immediately thought about race. However, it is not just about race. A minority is defined as a smaller number of a part. Minorities can be classified by gender, race, cultural background, religion, and/or sexual orientation. As a result of affirmative action, sometimes a person belonging to a minority group will be given an opportunity not because they are more qualified, but because they are part of a minority group. I believe that diversity is a great thing. However, I also believe that the need for …show more content…
The problem is not diversity. I don’t think anyone can provide a valid argument for why diversity is not a good idea. Affirmative action increases diversity in the workforce and schools, and that is a benefit to society. The problem with affirmative action is that, in some cases, in order to increase diversity, the standards for the minority groups are lowered. A utilitarian would look at this and ask, “Do more people benefit than suffer?” Maybe and maybe not. If you believe that minorities are at a disadvantage, then yes. More people benefit. If you believe that a person of a majority group has a better chance at an opportunity, then they will probably have more than one option. However, if you believe that discrimination isn’t a real thing, then you affirmative action does not benefit more