The defenses of preferential treatment sound convoluted because they are convoluted. Merit cannot be exactly measured, but it is a worthwhile ideal toward which we should strive. Birthright cannot justify preferential treatment, whether for wealthy whites or the historically disadvantaged. The common sense about these matters is correct. It is time for us to acknowledge some realities.
Double standards are neither ethical nor effective.
Upholding the legacy of Martin Luther King should not mean defending failed programs.