| This article does not discuss the legalities of affirmative | | | | gender profiling tells people that some races and |
| action, I leave that to the courts. This article is solely | | | | females are less capable than others and therefore |
| about the philosophy of affirmative action. | | | | need special help in reaching their potential. Profiling |
| According to Wikipedia, affirmative action "is a policy | | | | harms this country by telling people that they are not all |
| or a program promoting the representation in various | | | | equal under the eyes of the law. Profiling tells some |
| systems of people of a group who have traditionally | | | | people that they are not as intelligent or as capable as |
| been discriminated against, with the aim of creating a | | | | other people and that they can't make it without help. It |
| more egalitarian society". In my opinion, affirmative | | | | tells other people that because they are 'white', they |
| action, at least as it has been instituted in this country, is | | | | don't deserve help. It rewards some people while |
| wrong, harmful, racist and prejudicial. Affirmative action, | | | | punishing other people. This divides the country and |
| at least in this country, seems to be based, solely, on | | | | causes, in effect, class warfare. America is a land of |
| race or gender. | | | | immigrants who should have been melded into one |
| In example, take two male high school students, both | | | | great class of people, Americans. To tell them that |
| attend the same low income area high school, one is | | | | 'blacks', whites', 'hispanics', 'orientals', etc. are all different |
| 'black' and one is 'white'. The 'black' student's family, | | | | and have different abilities keeps this country from |
| immigrated to this country from Canada fourteen | | | | being united. To grant advantages to one group over |
| years ago, his father works full time and his mother is | | | | another is discriminitory and divisive. To tell 'blacks', |
| a 'stay at home mom'. The 'white' student's ancestors | | | | 'hispanics' and others that they can't make it without |
| immigrated to this country eighty years ago, his father | | | | outside help is to tell them that that they are not as |
| was killed, in a home invasion robbery, when he was | | | | capable as 'whites', 'orientals' and others. |
| six years old and his mother works part time as a | | | | Some of you may be wondering why I keep placing |
| waitress in a diner. The 'black' student has a grade | | | | single quotation marks around certain words like 'black', |
| point average of 3.05 with an S.A.T. score of 1085. | | | | 'white', etc.. It is because I do not like using labels like |
| The 'white' student has a grade point average of 3.55 | | | | 'black' and 'white' to describe people. Other words like |
| and a S.A.T. score of 1270. Both students are polite | | | | 'hispanic' are, in my opinion, used improperly as they |
| and well mannered. Neither belongs to a gang or has | | | | tend to catagorize people from many different |
| any criminal record. Both want to go to a good | | | | countries or groups into one group. All 'blacks' are not |
| university so both apply to U.C.L.A.. | | | | the color of black, all 'whites' are not the color of white |
| Under affirmatve action, which student would be | | | | and all 'hispanics' are not necessarily of Spain or |
| accepted? The 'white' student would not be covered | | | | Spanish speaking (Brazilians, for example, are classified |
| under affirmative action, as 'whites' have not | | | | 'hispanic' even though they speak Portuguese and |
| traditionally been discriminated against, and no duty is | | | | most are descended from Portugal or some African |
| owed him for being poor and fatherless (being poor | | | | country.). As far as I am concerned all people that are |
| and fatherless is not considered disadvantaged and | | | | American citizens (naturalized or other) or live |
| the fact that he attended the same low income school | | | | permanently in the United State Of America are either |
| as the 'black' student is also not considered a | | | | American citizens or American residents. To label |
| disadvantage for a 'white'). The 'black student, | | | | them otherwise is to denigrate, isolate and seperate |
| however, is considered disadvantaged and is | | | | them from each other. Discussing concepts, like |
| considered to come from a race that has traditionally | | | | affirmative action and cultural diversity, force the use |
| been discriminated against (The fact that his family | | | | of such labels. |
| recently came here from Canada, the fact that he has | | | | The people of this country need to be brought |
| a parent that works full time and the fact that he has | | | | together, not seperated. Being proud of your ancestors |
| not suffered racial discrimination does not matter.). | | | | and your heritage is one thing, being rewarded, |
| Under affirmative action, the 'black' student would not | | | | punished or seperated because of your ancestors or |
| only be accepted, he would be eligible for financial aid. | | | | heritage is something else entirely. Being rewarded |
| The 'black' student would go to U.C.L.A. and the 'white' | | | | because others of your race or gender were |
| student would probably end up at a community college. | | | | mistreated in the past is wrong and being punished for |
| Change the above example to a 'black student and a | | | | what others of your race or gender did in the past is |
| 'hispanic' student and the 'black' student would be | | | | equally wrong. How would you like to be fined for |
| accepted because 'blacks' rank higher on the | | | | horse stealing because you are a 'white' male and |
| disadvantaged charts. Between a 'hispanic' and a | | | | some other 'white' male stole a horse over fifty years |
| 'white' the hispanic would be accepted because | | | | ago or even last week? Untill all people in this country |
| 'whites' don't rank on the chart, neither do 'orientals', | | | | are treated equally, and with the same respect, and |
| South East Asians or Jews. The fact that Orientals, | | | | are given the same chances, we will never be "One |
| South East Asians and Jews have been discriminated | | | | nation under God, indivisable, with liberty and justice for |
| against in this country doesn't matter as the 'political | | | | all". Discrimination is wrong, no matter who is being |
| correctness' police in this country do not consider them, | | | | discriminated against. |
| to have traditionally been discriminated against enough, | | | | Note: For any of you that object to my keeping the |
| to be disadvantaged. The only student that would be | | | | phrase "under God" in that last quote, tough. That is the |
| ranked higher on the disadvantaged chart would be a | | | | way I say it. If you don't want to say it that way, then |
| 'black' female student. Furthermore, a rich 'black' | | | | don't. Just don't try to tell me that I can't say it that |
| student who attended the best schools would rank the | | | | way. To those of you that object to my using the |
| sames as a poor 'black' student who attended a low | | | | word 'black' instead of the words 'African-American', |
| income school. | | | | again I say tough. To me 'African-American' is just as |
| Some universities are no longer allowed to use | | | | much a misnomer as 'Hispanic'. I believe that the word |
| affirmative action as a criteria so they now use | | | | 'black' is improper, however, I hate to use the word |
| 'cultural diversity' as their criteria. To me affirmative | | | | American when there is a hyphen before it. To me an |
| action and cultural diversity are the same thing. Both | | | | American is an American. I didn't write this article to be |
| use racial and gender profiling in order to decide who is | | | | 'politicaly correct', I wrote this artice in order to say |
| accepted. This is America and everyone is supposed | | | | what I think. If you want 'political correctness', go |
| to be equal and recieve equal treatment. Racial and | | | | elsewhere. |