Affirmative Action

In this debate, it is important to note that my opponent and I agree on a certain number of things. We both agree that there is still discrimination in this country (though he's called it psychological stereotypes), we both agree that higher education can change situations for the better, and that affirmative action is not suppose to be permanent. The fundamental difference we have is that my opponent advocates the taking away of the level playing field, in the face of this discrimination. We still live in a society with discrimination (whether it's engraved stereotypes or not) against race, mass homophobia, and misogyny. I'll summarize my opponent's points, and lead you to why you should vote PRO in today's debate.I. Implied LogicFacts are not subject to opinion, and facts show that people of color and women are viewed as people who are generally less competent. My opponent has continually shown this throughout his case, with the implications that lesser qualified minorities will take the place of higher qualified majorities. The real affirmative action has nothing to do with that, and strictly prohibits it. The department of labor specifically says, "For federal contractors and subcontractors, affirmative action must be taken by covered employers to recruit and advance qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans." [1] Unknowingly, my opponent has already tried to make the assertion that minorities are taking the place of the more qualified White US Citizens, instead of pointing to the fact that they're overlooked and not under qualified. He then implies that Asian-Americans are being equally as discriminated against as African-Americans, but they overcome it through education alone. The important miscalculation by my opponent is that Asian Americans have an entirely different stereotype they face than Blacks or Hispanics, and that African-Americans have a unique history in this country that is worse than Asian history in this country. Hispanics and Blacks face stereotypes that see them as illegal immigrants, angry violent citizens, and lazy incompetent workers. Asian-Americans don't generally face those stereotypes. Over the past four centuries, Black history has included nearly 250 years of slavery, 100 years of legalized discrimination, and only 50 years of anything else.II MischaracterizationThe goal of affirmative action is simple, inclusivity. It is a way to make the workforce mirror the real world. My opponent is trying to argue that denying employers the ability to be racists and sexists harms society. Work force discrimination encompasses the idea that a group of individuals are excluded from the workforce due to racism, stereotypes, sexism, and other ideas. Affirmative action can be defined as precisely not that. My opponent is attempting to equate inclusivity with exclusivity, by looking at affirmative action and ignoring the fact that minorities are generally not selected, but then magnifying the one selection of a minority or a woman over a White male and calling it discrimination. This is an odious and gross mischaracterization of the real world scenario. To better understand my contention, I have a picture of President Nixon and his cabinet, and President Obama and his 2012 cabinet. Which of these pictures is discrimination, and which is inclusivity? III. False attribution to psychological doubt. My opponent stated, in the third round, that minorities being included in employment selection undermines their self-worth. This is something I won't touch much on, because it is very obviously flawed. If those who experience the privilege don't feel undeserving, would those who don't? This is a silly argument in today's debate, and no isolated events will be able to prove it on a large scale. If there is anything that advocates self-doubt among minorities or women, it is the outright discrimination, not the inclusivity. If it was my opponent's point to say that, for example, one race has been doing it for so long that others can't compete to the same extent and then they feel self doubt, then the solution is still very clear. You must include and teach the party who is discriminated against on a scale that is different in order to get them to the equality they really posses. IV. ConclusionBecause it is true that affirmative action is not equal to racism, because it is true that discrimination and racial stereotypes are still very strong, & because it is true that affirmative action has worked; it is very evident that affirmative action is not the problem itself, but a solution to a problem that is not yet solved. Education is the key to success, but you have to get past discrimination in order for the minorities to reach that success. With one in every nine black males incarcerated, progress becomes second behind just trying to survive the cut. [1]http://www.dol.gov...