Affirmative Action And Ethics
"Treating people differently because of the
color of their skin used to be
called discrimination, but today it’s called
affirmative action" (Amselle
177). Affirmative action today, is
considered to be one of the most
controversial dilemma facing our equal
status of individual rights. As we all
know, affirmative action was
implemented with the idea and hope that America
would finally become truly
equal. So far, it has lasted for thirty years and had
not solved any of our
current problems concerning equal rights – it made
things worse. It was
created with the intention of using reverse discrimination
to solve the
problem of discrimination. In that, minority groups are being
chosen over the
qualifications of other workers. This intention creates a
mainstream of
problems. Some find it very unfair in using its practices, some
find it very
helpful. The portion of the group that stands with affirmative
action, are
usually in a situation in which they actually benefited from it.
They
have their reasons as to why they support the action. Based on the
general
public as to why they acknowledge affirmative action is usually based
of the
fact that it establishes a situation where equal opportunity is
distributed
among minorities for jobs. Prior to affirmative action – city,
state, and
government jobs were almost completely closed off to minorities
and women. In
our present day, minorities and women have gained a tremendous
increase in the
application of jobs in those workplaces. Unlike the days
before affirmative
action, where job opportunity was mostly given to the
Americans, now jobs are
being given to minorities and women due to the quota
system. Suppose that a
American male and a minority (Hispanic,
Afro-American, woman, etc.) are applying
for the same job, the American male
is much more qualified than the minority,
there! fore, logically, the
American should be hired. Due to the quota system,
the company, in order to
meet that quota, must hire the minority. Which is for
the better, because, in
that sense, were are slowly but surely making some
advancements in solving
the problem of racial inequality in America’s
workplace. Affirmative action
is also very influential in the educational
system. Minority students who
before never had a chance in being accepted into a
decent college, are now
being accepted. They are given the chance to prove that,
with the help of
affirmative action, they could, in turn, get more education and
end up with a
decent job after graduating. All hopes are to end racism in school
campuses,
to have diversity between students. The constitution says that we the
people
of the United States of America are all created equal. Therefore, since
that
we are all equal, shouldn’t we all have the same opportunity as
everyone
else. Equal opportunity is achieved when people of lower standards
in life are
given chances to succeed in life. To start to achieve a better
life, one must
have proper education, because education is the key to our
future. Therefore,
though education, minorities must be given the chance to
get a good start at
securing their future. Critics of affirmative action
argue that this quota is
unfair. White males are being forced to pay a price
that their ancestors have
done wrong in the past. Knowingly that it was a
long time ago, and that now, it
is a dawn of a new era. White males should
not be given this burden of something
that their ancestors have done. While
the minorities enjoy the benefits such as
jobs and education. Especially, to
give favor to males or to females, to whites,
to blacks or to persons of any
color because of their sex or color is morally
wrong because doing so is
intrinsically unfair. Color, nationality, sex are not
attributes that entitle
anyone to more (or less) of the good thing of life, or
to any special favor
(or disfavor). When in the past whites or males did receive
such preference
that was deeply wrong; it is no less wrong when the colors or
sexes are
reversed. (Cohen 183) In the workplace, critics argue that because
of
affirmative action, now they are being treated unequally. Jobs in which
they are
more likely to succeed in are, instead, being passed down to less
qualified
minorities. Not only does this affect the potential white
employees, but the
employer also has to suffer this condition. Employers are
being asked to hire
less qualified worker and sometimes for more money too.
In concern with
education, instead of the white males being accepted into
colleges, minorities
have taken their role of being the student. White males
are displeased because
through out their years in school, they have been
struggling to get good grades
in hopes that in the future they would be
accepted to the college of their
choice. To have that taken away from them,
especially from the minorities who do
not rank as high in academic
achievements, is probably one of the most
disappointing things that could
happen to them. From looking at the educational
standpoint, not only are the
quality students being filtered out, quality
teachers are also being filter
out. "Less formally, but quite insistently,
affirmative action is practiced
by many universities in selecting and promoting
black and Hispanic faculty
members" (Van Den Haag 225). Highly qualified
and educated teachers are being
replaced by minority teachers. That then leads
to the question of
self-esteem. Are the ones who benefited from affirmative
action really
satisfied knowing that they got a certain job or admittance into a
selective
university was due to a quota system? Of course, most of them are
aware of
that, and they liked how it turn out. Although, one must wonder, from
time to
time, what other people are thinking about them or, at least, suspect
how
they are doing in accordance with the other students or colleagues.
The
damages that they incur to esteem is unavoidable. Affirmative action is
a
subject that is very controversial. There are much more pros and cons
dealing
with this issue that I did not touch. However, from reading what I
have written
down, the main points are pretty much covered. Therefore, I can
give you an
analysis on how I feel about this subject. Before this
assignment, I was for
affirmative action. It has really helped many minority
members achieve success.
For instance, my friend’s mom, she is presently
divorced and running her own
air conditioning business. Without the help of
affirmative action, she would be
out of work. Affirmative action gives her
certain amount of customers, in order
to survive in this world because a lady
running her own business is really hard
to achieve without some kind of
help.