affimative action essays

affimative action essays The Controversy of Affirmative Action Is affirmative action the right and fair way of dealing with differences in opportunity and education in a societys population? Everyone has their own opinion of affirmative action and the results it manifests. One who does believe affirmative action is a fair policy would react in a way like this, Todays opponents of affirmative action decry its practice of gender and minority group preferences and call for a return to the color-blind and merit-based policies of the past (Raskin 22). On the other hand, those who do not believe that affirmative action is fair and brings out the best in the world would believe so: Affirmative action is simply another name for racial preferences. As a policy, it affronts the most treasured American values-those of fairness and individualism (Puddington70). Affirmative action may be an unfair way of dealing with differences and may cause certain parts of a societys population to be denied access. There are many different types of affirmative action in a discriminatory way, including: age, disability, gender, nationality, race/ethnicity and religion. President Lyndon Johnson signed an executive order requiring federal contractors to undertake affirmative action to increase the number of minorities employed. President Nixon added to this order by declaring affirmative action programs should include women. Another very important time in the history of the United States was when Governor Pete Wilson of California filed suit against many state agencies and commissions overseen by his office and against minority and women professional and civil rights groups challenging the affirmative action program in the state of California. Statistics reveal that white males continue to monopolize high status position in society, proving that discrimination continues to persist and that affirmative action is warra...