Affirmative Action Term Paper

10 Pages 2465 Words

Affirmative Action Term Paper

“Progress was all right; only it went on too long.”
-James Thurber
When the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed Affirmative Action was a necessary measure to promote equality in society. In those trying times minorities and women were legitimately discriminated against. A lot has changed since 1964. Women and minorities now hold positions of power in colleges and large corporations, have a voice at all levels of government, and are presented with every opportunity offered to “the majority”. Other states should follow in the footsteps of California, and remove affirmative action legislation in order to create a society that truly does not discriminate on the basis of sex, creed, color, or national origin. I firmly believe that skin color and sex should not be a factor in school admissions practices or hiring of employees. Unfortunately, minorities are still given preferential treatment on school admissions, employment, and scholarship opportunities. John Rawls and the Sophists philosophical ideas help shed light onto the issue of affirmative action. Their philosophies give much insight on an individuals claim to equality and liberty.
Title Seven of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended by the Executive Order of 1967 provided the initial basis for affirmative action in the United States. Title seven prohibits discrimination in the workplace on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) was created to enforce Title Seven. Title Seven was given even greater strength by the Equal Opportunity Act of 1972, which increased the coverage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and increased the enforcement powers of the EEOC. The Civil Service Commission was established from The Equal Opportunity Act of 1972 to review and approve equal opportunity plans and to monitor the progress of federal agencies in achieving equal opp...