Affirmative Action

I will present my own definition of Affirmative Action as this is the actual constructive period. "Affirmative action" means steps taken to increase the representation of women and minorities in areas of employment, education, and business from which they have been historically excluded. [1] 1. Affirmative action leads to reverse discrimination. >"Affirmative action is designed to end discrimination and unfair treatment of employees/students based on color, but it in effect does the opposite. " [2] Affirmative action is, as stated above used to: increase the representation of women and minorities. This is, reverse discrimination in it's entirety. Whites who work harder and/or are more qualified can be passed over strictly because they are white. A poverty-stricken white student who uses discipline and hard work to become the best he can be can be passed over by a rich minority student who doesn't put in much effort at all. This was the case in the past that called for affirmative action. Those that didn't have the chances before, and those that had all the chance essentially switch rolls. 2. Affirmative action lowers standards of accountability needed to push students or employees to perform better. >A lot of colleges today look for exceptionally high GPAs when accepting applications. "If a minority student can get into Harvard with a 3.2 grade-point average, why should she push herself to get a 4.0? " [2] At the same time a student of the majority will have to earn that 4.0 and may still not have as much a chance. Although some students or employees are self-motivated, most people need an extra push or incentive to do their very best. By setting lower standards for admission or hiring, we are lowering the level of accountability. If we reward those that do not work as hard with a higher college education (and essentially better jobs) than another who has to work harder and still can't get the chance, we destroy and incentive for minority students to work hard, as well as the accountability of that work. 3. Students admitted on this basis are often ill-equipped to handle the schools to which they've been admitted. >When we admit these unprepared minority students into colleges and occupations that one who has a larger accountability to work would be able to handle, we destroy the chances of the minorities of keeping the jobs and placement in colleges. Schools like Harvard and Yale have high GPA and SAT requirements because it is extremely difficult to graduate from them. [3] When colleges lower application standards for minority students, these students are unable to keep up when the semester begins. The point here is not that these students are incapable of living up to a challenge, but that they will be unprepared for that challenge. [4] 4. It would help lead a truly color-blind society. >To those who have Facebook accounts, you have probably seen the ever popular surveys. They ask Hair Color/Eye Color/Age/Name/Birthday. .. etc. When you fill out a job application (unless in a modeling agency or other 'like' career, this information is completely useless. Unless taking stereotypes into consideration (which job application viewers do not do), this information will never be useful in determining your ability to complete a job, or achieve a task. The fact that I am blond and have green eyes has nothing to do with my chance of debating this topic. Race is just another factor that will not matter when taking these applications. If you are Asian, you have just as much of a chance as I do of getting a job at NASA. A stereotype may say the Asian is smarter, but it is only that: a stereotype. Race does not play any roll in intellect or character and therefore should not be considered on applications. This would provide true racial color blindness thereby, providing equality of opportunity. [1] plato. stanford. edu [2] balancedpolitics. org [3] collegeapps. about. com [4] thedailybeast.