Affirmative Action: Reverse Discrimination

3 Pages 806 Words

HW3: Affirmative Action v Reverse Discrimination

Within American culture, their still exists a certain amount of tension between races – particularly blacks and whites – as a result of a discrimination-laden history. Many steps have been taken toward racial equality over the years, with Affirmative action being among the most recent; affirmative action was designed as a program promoting the hiring of minorities as compensation for past discrimination. Whether or not this is accomplished, however, is highly questionable. There are two main schools of thought with regard to this issue, both of which offer strong arguments for their respective convictions. In the mock situation presented in the video, these two camps became increasingly evident as the different speakers (who happened to be rather well-known political and social figures) were questioned about their positions with particular respect to the case of a white man, a white woman and a black man from whom a new, hypothetical staff member would be chosen.
The two main camps involved are, quite obviously, those for and those against affirmative action in America. The camp whose position can be regarded as “in support” of affirmative action, has several specific arguments: affirmative action is designed to correct past discrimination, to create fairness that would otherwise not exist in he workplace, and to add diversity for the benefit of the American culture by creating minority role models. These goals, however idealistic, represent the opinions of popular thought in the “for” camp with regard to this issue. On the opposing side, those who are “against” affirmative action, the major beliefs include: that affirmative action promotes the judgment of a group over individual merit, creates mediocrity in the workplace by ceasing to strive for excellence, and that it holds back white Americans from positions potentially due them based upon merit or accompl...