Affirmative Action
Americans have pride in their diversity and cultural differences. It is what makes us unique as well as the strongest nation in the world. However, this diversity has not always been considered an advantage. The original text of the Constitution dictates equality, but then denies its value to groups. People are entitled to opinion, but how does this effect the rights of others? Affirmative action has changed drastically at the end of the twentieth century. We are in an era where white males are rapidly becoming a minority. The start of Affirmative Action reaches back to the founding days of our nation. Civil war was even a result of a misrepresented minority. African Americans have been in the minority even into the twentieth century. Mainly brought to the United States as slaves and farm workers, it easy to see the moral dilemma which is faced in making amends to the African American people. The issue is often raised, "why punish future generations for events caused by our great-grandparents?" It is often a question with no answer. Granted, equality is the goal of any ideal society, but when does equality become a percentage or a quota? The Constitution calls for equal opportunity, not the for
Smelser, Neil J. Theory of Collective Behavior. New York: The Free Press, 1962. Thoday, J. M., ed. Genetic and Environmental Influences on Behavior. New York: Plenum Press, 1968. Stein, Rob. "A Simian Surprise: Chimps are Multicultural." Washington Post 21 June 1999, sec A: 9+. The Constitution does agree with the idea of affirmative action. This is true as long as we consider its meaning promotes equality for all and gives no advantage to an individual race. In many ways, actions taken on behalf of affirmative action do not support the Constitution, but may be an important step in unifying the nation. The Constitution only works when people are compliant with the social contract. When faced with racial issues many people are biased in their opinions, which makes certain steps necessary to protect the rights of the minority. The values we hold as a nation are constantly changing, and as they change so do the rules and laws we hold to be of importance. In the Southern States, segregation was once an excepted practice. Today we see this as not only unacceptable, but also unconstitutional (i.e. Plessy vs. Ferguson). Ericsson, Tyel R. Telephone interview. 31 September 2000. Affirmative Action is most heatedly debated concerning school. Elementary education was mostly a concern in that all races were not given the same education. The separate but equal laws are
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Approximate Word count = 936
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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