Affirmative Action Should Be Dissolved

OK..I have had a busy week and barely made it back on here for Round 3! I don't have alot of time but hopefully I can address at least a few of your arguments! "Why something was originally set up is not an argument for why something should be dissolved now as that something could have changed or there can be other reasons now to continue a policy." Good point so I will inject that the CURRENT purpose of AA today is to eliminate present effects of past discrimination. It requires employers to engage in special efforts to recruit and retain traditionally underrepresented classes of employees, including racial, ethnic, and religious minorities, women, veterans, individuals with disabilities. http://www.affirmativeaction.ucr.edu... "One common factor here is that the minorities viewed negatively have worse average incomes than the majority does. If we can increase the well being of minorities, it follows that there will be less prejudice." I would advocate that it is more plausible that the reason a majority of minorities are poor is due to prejudice from years past, not the other way around. I don't think giving them easier entrance into college or jobs, thus increasing their livelihood is going to decrease prejudice. There are millions of minorities out there who with hard work who have made millions and still face prejudice and persecution. "One thing we gain from Affirmative Action is the benefit of diversity." So are you implying that without AA there would be no diversity? I think there are many minorities out there who would still be accepted into college and hired for certain jobs based on their merit alone and without the assistance of AA. "are not told that they are expected to do worse, they do the same as whites on the same test" Maybe I'm missing something but by not being told they are not given any expectations they seem to do better, right? If this is the case, eliminating AA would be "not telling them" and no expectations would equal the same results as whites. So wouldn't they test the same on ACT's and SATs which would eliminate the need for AA. You also stated that "it is more likely anxiety, etc. etc. that makes them score worse on tests they are consciously told they should score worse on" Test like the ACT reflect what the student was exposed to. Poorer communities lack good education so these kids would not be exposed to as much. Then add the years of being told that blacks (or other minorities) do not test as well and they will just give in to the fact that they do not need to work as hard. Eliminate AA and more people will become outraged by the fact that these minorities are not meeting the standard and step in to attack the problem where the problem originates….community and education. We need to get into these communities and educate. It may take a few years to see the results but eventually the minorities will realize they are competent enough without AA. "I assume cost is the main reason these subjects cannot afford to continue their education." Increased affirmative action would solve the problem if that is so. Nor did you mention causation of the dropout rates differences." These dropouts were beneficiaries of AA. They dropped out due to the rigorous curriculum they were not ready for, not due to costs. ‘If firms won't naturally hire in a way that is best for societies future, then we must use government to solve the problem. That is the point of government. That is why affirmative action is better than no affirmative action." How do we define what natural is? If we go to the extreme …Survival of the fittest…then firms would hire the best workers to ensure their business thrives and profits. AA mandates some of their hiring. The government is not here to solve every problem….if anything they create many. They are here, elected by the people for the people. Yes, to ensure equality is noble, but things will never be exactly equal. The government should step in if someone is turned down from a job based on the color of their skin alone, or if it is obvious that a company is participating in unfair hiring practices, but to mandate how many minorities you must hire or accept into a university does not promote equality, it gives special rights to minorities. What about whites who grow up in poor and stressful conditions and do not test well. I propose again that we go into these poor communities and attack the problem at its root. It's easier to hand money to a beggar than to help him out of his condition. AA is just merely giving a handout to eliminate the guilt for a society that does not want to exert the time or energy to truly help…now that is the worse kind of prejudice. Thanks for the debate! I actually learned alot!