Untitled Essay, Research Paper

Affirmative Action: Solution or Confusion?

Affirmative action is a program designed to stop favoritism by

vouching minorities will be hired, irrespective of race or gender. While

our state hires such groups based upon these warrants, the

makings of such people are on occasion overlooked. Many believe

that affirmatory action is a really effectual program ; nevertheless, the population

which opposes such action often includes people of assorted minorities,

every bit good as many others who have been wronged by this program In several

instances, this program causes minorities to be perceived as being under-qualified

when hired ; in add-on, it besides causes a new minority, the white male.

Our authorities must admit the fact that affirmatory action is non

seting an terminal to favoritism ; in all actuality, this program has succeeded

in

making new minorities, and more grounds for favoritism.

Affirmative action often causes qualified employees to be

looked down upon because some believe them to be & # 8220 ; affirmatory action

hires & # 8221 ; . Two of my female relations are presently on the constabulary force ; as

a

consequence, I have encountered many prejudiced remarks refering to

their places. The first comment I normally receive suggests that they were

hired for their place entirely based on gender. Another remark which I

normally receive is, & # 8220 ; Well, being a adult female likely didn & # 8217 ; t ache their resume. & # 8221 ;

Both of my relations are really good at their occupations ; one was even on the

popular telecasting show, Cops. Neither of them are & # 8220 ; wimps & # 8221 ; , yet most

males look down upon them as being hired because of affirmatory action.

This type of unfavorable judgment is received by many minorities keeping good occupations,

whether they are qualified or non. To cite William Reynolds, helper

lawyer general in the civil rights division:

In many instances, affirmatory action takes off from legitimate

minority success. People expression at the black banker

business district who has made it on his ain and say, & # 8220 ; He got his

occupation because of affirmatory action. & # 8221 ; Or, an employer hires a

few gifted minority people who would hold succeeded

anyhow and says, & # 8220 ; Those are my affirmative-action hires. & # 8221 ;

( 26 )

In this peculiar instance, affirmatory action may, or may non, have

been the ground for hiring, yet that is what most perceive. Peoples of any

race or gender should be able to keep a occupation where their co-workers respect

them as peers, non as & # 8220 ; affirmative-action hires & # 8221 ; .

My cousin, Christine, has besides added to my cognition on how good

affirmatory action works at the infirmary where she works. One of the

decision makers happened to be a black male & # 8211 ; who was really qualified for his

place & # 8211 ; yet most of the staff accused him of being promoted because of

his race. This affected his morality to such an extent that he resigned

shortly after his publicity. Another black female & # 8211 ; who was hired because

of her race and gender & # 8211 ; is non qualified for her place, yet is esteemed

by

her co-workers for her achievements. It seems that minorities are

accepted to a certain extent, until they become person & # 8217 ; s foreman. It is besides

a

chilling state of affairs when a individual has an under-qualified sawbones acting

surgery on them because of affirmatory action.

Affirmative action insists that the employer must & # 8220 ; [ a ] nothingness the sort

of unneeded escalation of standards for choice and publicity which has

sometimes been used to maintain certain categories of people from come ining the

mainstr

eam of our economic life” ( Berry 19 ) . This facet of the program

creates more gaps for minorities ; nevertheless, it besides suggests that the

criterions should be maintained at a low to vouch these gaps. In

my sentiment, if the criterions for any place are raised, the productiveness

and truth of the state will lift consequently. When the policy of

affirmatory action is to about take down the criterions of our society, this

forfeits quality for the interest of equality. Roy Wilkins, a former Executive

Director of the NAACP, stated to the Congress:

Our association has ne’er been in favour of a quota system.

We believe the quota system is unjust whether it is used for

or against inkinesss & # 8230 ; We feel people ought to be hired because

of their ability, irrespective of their colour & # 8230 ; We want

equality, equality of chance and employment on the

footing of ability. ( qtd. in Reynolds 26 )

If the people which affirmative action was made for are against

most of it & # 8217 ; s rules & # 8211 ; and the white male loses occupations because of it & # 8211 ; why

is

the bulk so supportive of this program?

One of the most powerful statements for affirmatory action is based

upon claims from minorities who believe that they deserve a certain sum

ofcompensation because of the past favoritism which they have received.

DianaAxelson, president of the Department of Philosophy of Spelman College,

provinces this

in her essay, & # 8220 ; Affirmative Action Compensates for Past Discrimination & # 8221 ; , by

claiming, & # 8221 ; The first signifier of compensation which seems appropriate is compensations & # 8230 ; forinjuries they themselves have received as a consequence of individualized or

institutionalizedracism and sexism & # 8221 ; ( 33 ) . In my sentiment, the incrimination of past wrongs should non

be putupon the employer, nor should something which happened in the past be a factor

inhiring patterns. To cite Michael Levin, professor of doctrine:

Other past wrongs have left their traces-acts of larceny, spoil, fraud, anti-Semitism-yet society has no organized policy of rectifying those wrongs.

It surelyseemsthat if the effects of one sort of incorrect should non be allowed

to blossom,

neither should those of any other. ( 40 )

Although society may sympathise with past wrongs, it is non anyemployer & # 8217 ; s

obligationto compensate these people ; farther, it would be a great unfairness to society & # 8217 ; s

majorityto disregard them in order to carry through this.

Affirmative action is a successful program in theory, but engaging a certain

percentageof minorities & # 8211 ; qualified or unqualified & # 8211 ; has turned into a larger job

than whatalreadyexisted. In all actuality, the hiring demands of affirmatory

action havecaused thewhite male to go a minority because they can non be hired unless

therequired per centum of minorities are already employed. A more effectual

method ofhiring reasonably, without favoritism, may be a faceless and unidentified interview.

Ifperspective employees could direct in their sketchs, be assigned a figure,

make full out awritten interview, and be hired wholly based on their makings, this

would solvemany of the jobs. Using this method to engage and advance would vouch

themost qualified people would be hired, and there could be no accusals of

taking aperson entirely on their race orgender. We live in a state where a certain

per centum ofthe work force is hiredbased wholly on their race or gender, non their

makings. Itis rather obvious that affirmatory action does non carry through the intended intent ;

contrary toits objective, this program has merely created more favoritism than could

of all time beimagined.