Affirmative Action Helps Balance Racism - Essay Example

Affirmative Action Helps Balance Racism Since its inception, affirmative action has succeeded in balancing the scale of opportunities available to men and women of all ethnicities. A quota system generally reflects the area’s ethnic demographics thereby allowing for real equality opportunity that is not discriminatory towards any particular race. Although the majority ethnic group may now feel they are being treated unjustly because they have indeed lost ground from an economic standpoint, the scale is actually now adjusted closer to the middle thanks primarily to the use of affirmative action, demonstrating the need for this practice to continue.

During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s, the U.S. government enacted affirmative action measures in an effort to eradicate institutional racial discrimination. Beginning with an executive order issued by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, these government programs were authorized to equalize racial inequality and prevent further injustices. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 “prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin” (Title VII, 1964) Subsequently, an Executive Order (11246) originating from the Johnson administration in 1965, mandated affirmative action for all federally funded programs.

It also moved affirmative action enforcement responsibilities to the Labor Department. (“Executive Order,” 1965). These governmental efforts to effectively outlaw institutionalized racism was a reaction necessitated by the enormous outpouring of public pressure of all races and gender during the 1950’s and 60’s. Society as a whole as well as many groups and individuals have benefited from these programs including women, those who suffer disabilities and the working class, but their principal emphasis has focused on racial discrimination.

Affirmative action was a legislative reaction initiated by the public’s outcry to racism and remains a necessary method to a balance the scales today as racism is still a prevalent oppressive force within all areas of society. The 1991 documentary, ‘True Colors,’ by Diane Sawyer filmed two friends, one black and one white, similarly educated men of the same age as they dealt with a variety of circumstances that occur in ordinary daily living. The men, acting as if they were new in town, separately tried to rent the same apartment, applied for the same job and shopped.

The documentary recorded the troubling disparity in the way the two similar men were treated in identical situations. In department stores, the black man is either ignored by sales clerks or followed to make sure he wasn’t shoplifting. While apartment landlords tell John that a unit is readily available, they had told the black man, just minutes before, that the very same apartment was occupied. A car salesman tried to charge the black man a thousand dollars more for the same car than the white man.

(Horne, 1992, pp. 40-41). Overall, the white man felt welcomed into the community while the black man encountered tangible obstructions and obvious attempts of social oppression at every turn over a quarter of a century since the Civil Rights Act was passed. An argument by those opposed to affirmative action is that it disproportionately benefits middle and upper-middle class minorities, not the poor and working class people of color who need it most. A more careful examination of this criticism shows that affirmative action programs have benefited substantial numbers of poor and working class people of color.

(Ezorsky, 1991, p. 64). Opponents also point out that affirmative action is patently unfair to white males because they are having to pay for the past discriminations of people of a different era and mindset and may not get the jobs they might be more qualified for. Millions of specific people of color have also lost specific job opportunities as a result of racial discrimination. Affirmative action is the counter effect, the balance of societal oppression – not just an attempt to atone what did exist, but also to balance the continued discrimination that exists still.

If this argument that white people are losing jobs to affirmative actions policies is valid, it certainly hasn’t materialized into racial equality. (“Affirmative Action,” 2010) “If one looks at the organization of various professions such as law, medicine, architecture, academics and journalism, or at corporate management, or at higher-level government positions or if one looks overall at the average income levels of white men one immediately notices that people of color are still significantly underrepresented and underpaid in every category” (Sklar, 1995, p. 115). Studies have found and common sense dictates that many institutions and business owners continue to practice discrimination while publicly agreeing with the concepts of affirmative action and equal opportunity.

“There are so many subtle and not-so-subtle ways to eliminate people of color from the job application process it is not surprising that employers have found ways around affirmative action unless it is tied to visible hiring and promotion targets” (Chideya, 1995, p. 110). It is necessary to set mechanisms in place that enforce and monitor standards of affirmative action as this is the only method that conformity can be calculated to guarantee that the law and the concept is more than a pretense of an obscure ideology.

In the 2003 University of Michigan case, the Supreme Court held that “the University of Michigan’s use of race among other factors in its law school admissions program was constitutional” (History of Affirmative Action, 2003). This decision was an important milestone in determining the direction we, as a society, will progress. Affirmative action programs allow opportunities for those who would not otherwise enjoy them and has been shown conclusively to be immediately or ultimately a wise choice for everyone.

If more people were aware of the overwhelming benefits of affirmative action we, as a society, could ensure that everyone in the future has a fair and equal opportunity for the pursuit of happiness. It is vital for the good of all of society. If we are truly committed to American ideals of justice and equality, than we can not forsake programs that offset the tragedies that result from racial discrimination. Works Cited “Affirmative Action” Oxford University Press (September 20, 2010) April 14, 2011 Chideya, Farai.

Don't Believe the Hype: Fighting Cultural Misinformation about African-Americans. New York: Plume/Penguin Books. (1995). Ezorsky, Gertrude. Racism & Justice: The Case for Affirmative Action. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. (1991). History of Affirmative Action Policies (The). “The Supreme Court handed down its decisions in Grutter v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. and Gratz v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. (2003). Horne, Gerald. Reversing Discrimination: The Case for Affirmative Action. New York: International Publishers. (1992). “Executive Order No. 11246.” United States Dept.

of Labor (September 24, 1965). April 14, 2011 < http://www.dol.gov/compliance/laws/comp-eeo.htm> Sklar, Holly. Chaos or Community?: Seeking Solutions, Not Scapegoats for Bad Economics. Boston: South End Press. (1995). “Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.” US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. United States Code. (January 15, 1997). April 14, 2011 < http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/vii.html>