Affirmative Action Essay

Martin Luther superpower, Jr. once s encourage, In precisely whenice allw present is a scourge to incisivelyice of all timeywhere. This state workforcet will always ring true peculiarly on the subject of equal opportunity when it comes to employment and education here in the United States. Its no secret that equality has been something the States has always lacked, nonwithstanding at the analogous time has always been something the States s alsod for. In fact it crowd out be easily inferred that equality among exclusively(a) men has been something the States has stride for since it gained independence from the British in 1776. Our world fathers were the send-off to subscribe to this initial thought, that cosmos best portrayed in the declaration of independence, which states We hold these truths to be self-evident, that completely men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain nontransferable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.(qtd. In declaration of independence)To me this means our launching fathers believed that every man from birth has the god given undecomposed to a life of liberty and the pursuit of happiness, sound somewhere during Americas journey as a country it forgot its true creed and became its own tyrant preventing people from reaching their full potential while in both case denying its own citizens liberty and a pursuit to happiness. And although achieving equality in this country has been nothing short of easy with countless set backs and insincere melodic themes, equality among every(prenominal) its citizens is relieve something America does strides for, and nothing brings you direct equality quit akin Affirmative movement does.If you consider affirmatory perform for its intentional purposes than Affirmative Action is very just, its purpose being to oppose the education and economic gap between minorities and causations. Although it is not a comp leted method to achieving equality in this country, it is essential to accept it for why its been put into place and that it is tout ensemble voice of a process. Of course plausive achieve is far from perfect and has a fair deal of problems, like promoting reverse secretion while backing up negative stereotypes. I researched all of these aspects while pondering the question is approbatory exploit mollify needed in todays society? In this penning I will be let offing what positive follow out is. The History coffin nail assentient challenge like how it all unfolded, who made it, and the tarradiddle as to why it is in effect now. I will also cite some pros and cons of favourable accomplishment, how the United States could bring out affirmatory go by means of for the rising and finally a conclusion, which is my opinion on the topic.solely what exactly is Affrimative exertion? Born of the civil rights movement three decades ago, affirmative operation calls for minorities and women to be given special consideration in employment and education word meaning decisions. Universities with affirmative activity policies generally set goals to increase diversity. Affirmative action decisions are generally not supposed to be based on quotas, nor are they supposed to give any preference to unqualified kittydidates. And by no means is affirmative action supposed to harm anyone by dint of reverse discrimination.The purpose was to create equal opportunity for the people who had been unsportsmanlikely hardened in the past. It was set out to correct this wrong, and make it right. But at the same time too often is Affrimative action is looked upon as a solution for a nation once ill with, provided now cured of, the evil disease of racial discrimination. Some would severalize Affirmative action is, and should be seen as, a temporary, partial, and perhaps even blemish cure for past and continuing discrimination. But all in all affirmative action is defined as The positive locomote take upn to increase the representation of women and minorities in areas of employment, education, and business from which they rich mortal been historically excluded. When those steps involve preferential selectionselection on the basis of race, gender, or ethnicity (Fullinwider) Of course affirmative action has a very deep history to it, and to why it was put into place. Now that you understand the purpose for which it was made, let me explain who made it and why affirmative action was created.The history of Affirmative action, the graduation step in affirmative action was the creation of it. President crapper F. Kennedy first introduced it in 1961. The following is in sections to show the timeline of affirmative action in the begging stages of its creation* March 6, 1961 Executive company 10925 makes the first reference to affirmative action (Timeline)President John F. Kennedy issues Executive Order 10925, which creates the Committee on E qual Employment Opportunity and mandates that projects financed with federal cash take affirmative action to ensure that hiring and employment practices are unbosom of racial bias.* July 2, 1964 Civil Rights Act signed by President Lyndon Johnson The intimately sweeping civil rights legislation since Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination of all kinds based on race, color, religion, or issue origin. (Timeline)* June 4, 1965 Speech defining innovation of affirmative action In an eloquent speech to the graduating class at Howard University, President Johnson frames the concept underlying affirmative action, asserting that civil rights laws all are not enough to remedy discrimination You do not wipe away the scars of centuries by saying now, you are free to go where you want, do as you desire, and choose the use upers you please. You do not take a man who for years has been hobbled by chains, liberate him, bring him to the start line of a race, saying, y ou are free to compete with all the others, and hushed justly believe you have been completely fair . . . This is the next and to a greater extent profound stage of the battle for civil rights. We seek not just freedom merely opportunitynot just legal righteousness but human abilitynot just equality as a right and a theory, but equality as a fact and as a result. (Timeline)* Sept. 24,1965 Executive Order 11246 enforces affirmative action for the first time (Timeline) Issued by President Johnson, the executive exhibition requires brass contractors to take affirmative action toward prospective nonage employees in all aspects of hiring and employment.The rest of the affirmative actions timeline from here on out is mainly just arrogant apostrophize cases, which can help define what exactly it can do and what exactly it cant do.* In the 1978 Supreme Court case University of California vs. Bakke, a white male named exclusivelyan Bakke claimed reverse discrimination because he was rejected twice from medical school while less-qualified minority pupils were admitted to fill a quota that required 18 out of every one C places be filled with minorities. The Supreme Court control against inflexible quota systems, but did not outlaw affirmative action as a whole.(Timeline)most of the lawsuits were against Universities since many universities also adopted affirmative action programs in the 1970s. These programs were aimed at increasing dull enrollment and the scrap of black faculty. None more notable then Jenifer Gatz law suit again the University of Michigan Gratz vs. Bollinger and Grutter vs. Bollinger. It ruled that affirmative action fulfills a compelling interest in obtaining the educational benefits that flow from a diverse student body. The purpose of affirmative action policy shifted from redressing injustice to promoting values of diversity.But even after all these deciding cases on affirmative action its still a heated matter of dispute. After much l egislation and many Supreme Court decisions, affirmative action continues to be controversial (Legal History, Ongoing Debates section, para. 1).These controversies lead to questions, which can simply be answered by understanding why affirmative action was put into effect in the first place. It is important to call up affirmative action is still a work in upgrade to achieve something much bigger than any one individual. People lead to forget that and the history to why affirmative action was put into place.It cannot be denied that Americas history is full of mistreatment of minority individuals. Women did not have a chance to vote for nearly a century and half(prenominal) after the birth of the country. African Americans were captured and forced into thraldom, Although the Thirteenth Amendment ended charge slavery in the United States in 1865, African Americans were not treated equal to whites in the eyes of the law for nearly another century, they were considered only one thi rd of citizen.So with the two hundred years of slavery coming to an abrupt end a new regime or prejudices was to come into effect. Of course even after the end of slavery African Americans were consistently denied employment, housing, and education. In the south discrimination was a daily occasion supported by Jim Crow laws.(Affirmative action) Unjust social statues and norms were passed in the 1800s that demonstrate separate, inferior, in the public eye(predicate) facilities, schools, waiting rooms, railways cars, and restrooms for African Americans through out the country. This has caused a eye mask effect on our society that still seen today.Those outrageous social norms were unspoilt in America until late in the civil rights movement when chairman JFK finally acknowledged the struggle for equality and the idea of Affirmative Action was born. After President Kennedys assignation, President Lyndon B. Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It criminalize discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, and sex in the areas of employment, public facilities, and government programs. The idea of equality in America, that every man is created equally was slowly and surly becoming more realistic, due largely to Martin Luther offices efforts. here(predicate) are Dr. faggots own words on the idea of Affirmative action from his 1963 book why cant we wait King statesAmong the many vital product lines to be done, the nation must not only radically readjust its attitude toward the Negro in the compelling present, but must incorporate in its planning some compensatory consideration for the handicaps he has inherited from the past. It is impossible to create a formula for the future which does not take into account that our society has been doing something special against the Negro for hundreds of years. How then can he be absorbed into the mainstream of American life if we do not do something special for him now, in order to balance the equation an d render him to compete on a just and equal basis? Martin Luther King J.R (Wise)In his 1967 book, Where Do We Go From Here Chaos or club? King argued A society that has done something special against the Negro for hundreds of years must now do something special for him, to equip him to compete on a just and equal basis.(wise) Continuingfor Two centuries the Negro was enslaved and robbed of any wages potential accrued wealth which would have been the legacy of his descendants. All of Americas wealth could not adequately compensate its Negroes for his centuries of victimisation and humiliation. It is an economic fact that a program such as I propose would certainly cost far less than any reckoning of two centuries of unpaid wages plus accumulated interest. In any case, I do not intend that this program of economic aid should apply only to the Negro it should benefit the disadvantaged of all races.- Martin Luther King J.R (Wise)It is clear that these are some of the reasons why Ma rtin Luther King J.R and others thought affirmative action should be and eventually was put into effect. A large part as to why affirmative action is in effect is so Compensation can be made to those who are at a disadvantage due to past racial biases and predjedism.You should now have a better idea as to what exactly affirmative action is, what its intentions are, the history behind who made it and the deeper history as to why it is still in effect and why it was originally put into effect. Affirmative action is however a major controversy in the United States, ever since its beginning, the concept of affirmative action raised difficult questions. umteen civil rights activists see affirmative action as a indispensable step in achieving equality for groups that had faced discrimination in the past. However, critics of affirmative action argued that individuals should be treated on their own merits without regard to color, national origin, or sex.(Affirmative Action)The Benefits of Affirmative Action The one benefit of affirmative action is to correct past discriminations such as the mistreatment of women and slavery. This remedial justification of affirmative action recognizes that wrongs have been committed in the past and acknowledges a honourable obligation to set things right (Affirmative Action Pros and Cons, The Origins Of, Legal Treatment Of, semipolitical and Social Debates, The Future, Pros and Cons section, para. 1).It is important for injustices to be redressed. Slavery and institutionalized racism have not been redressed yet in America and around the world. In order for justice to be served, it is necessary for the main losers of racism in America (African Americans) to be compensated for their loses through affirmative action. (Affirmative Action) And affirmative action does just that, not in the sense of giving physical money, but through opportunities in education and in life. The following are the benefits affirmative action providesAffirm ative action has provided many opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds and income levels who ordinarily would not be considered for admission to colleges and universities. This means that the pool of talent coming out of the higher(prenominal) education system is larger and better able to contribute as productive members of the workforce. Affirmative action has had a profound effect on employment hiring and promoting practices. Historically, close to 90% of all jobs are filled without being advertised, with the majority of positions going to friends, relatives, or acquaintances of company employees.(Wise) This is often the case with a lot of jobs. Unfortunately it can boil down to whom one knows not what they know. The result of this practice is that employers often end up with employees who are not the best person for the job if it were properly advertised.Affirmative action has support many companies to engage in employment practices that set minimum standards of job definition, recruiting, outreach, and evaluation that result in choosing the right person for the job. Finding the right person for the job or the promotion is critical in allow business efficiently utilize the workforce and allow each person to reach his or her full potential.Diversity in itself is enviable, it has been since the birth of this country, but it wont always occur if left wing to chance. But when affirmative action is working like its initial purpose was intended too miraculous things can happen, and there are good facts to back that up. mingled with 1981 and 2001, the total number of degrees awarded to Native Americans rose by 151.9% because of affirmative action policies. (Patterns) Also, from 1982 to 1995, there has been an increase in the share of black managers from 5 to 7 percent. Hispanics have shown a 3 percent increase from 5 percent in 1982.(Patterns) Affirmative Action has been successful in providing minorities with opportunities.At the same time a rec ent study has shown a person with a white sounding name has a 50% more budge of getting a call back from a interview than those with black sounding name even when qualifications are indistinguishable. (Tim Wise) Again equality is desirable but it wont always occur if left to chance.Eliminating affirmative action can lead to the re-segregation of higher education. When affirmative action was proscribe at the University of Texas in 1995, the number of black students at the UT jurisprudence School dropped from 65 in 1996 to 11 in 1997 and Latino student enrollments have been cut in half since the decision. (Patterns) this isnt necessarily a pro, but interesting enough. With affirmative action being banned in Texas the number of white students also dramatically increased while the number of Asians skyrocketed. I guess the best-qualified applicants where accepted.Here is a statistics that shows why affirmative action is still needed. For every dollar earned by men, women earn 74 cents , African American women earn 63 cents and Latina women earn 57 cents. (Patterns) This unjust statistics will continue with out the help of something like affirmative action. It is the cosmos inequalities like this that suggest maybe affirmative action should be left alone till equality is fully reached or a better solution is thought of.