Affirmative Action policies ensure equal opportunity by remedying the effects of past discrimination and preventing further discrimination. Equal Opportunity is the road to social justice.
Affirmative actions are some of the paths leading to that road.
If remedial actions are not taken, the momentum of the past will continue to preclude equal opportunity to victims of past discrimination. Affirmative actions are predicated on the beliefs that most of us have been programmed to nurture prejudices, prejudices which when not controlled lead to unfair discrimination. All of us, victims and perpetrators of discrimination carry the burden of that wrongdoing. Affirmative actions range from voluntary recruitment efforts to court imposed quotas. Voluntary affirmative actions are designed to ensure fair and open competition.