Affirmative Action is Necessary
President Lyndon Baines Johnson said it best in 1965 and his words ring true in 2008:
"But freedom is not enough. You do not wipe away the scars of centuries by saying: Now you are free to go where you want, and do as you desire, and choose the leaders you please.
You do not take a person who, for years, has been hobbled by chains and liberate him, bring him up to the starting line of a race and then say, "you are free to compete with all the others," and still justly believe that you have been completely fair.
Thus it is not enough just to open the gates of opportunity. All our citizens must have the ability to walk through those gates.
This is the next and the more profound stage of the battle for civil rights. We seek not just freedom but opportunity. We seek not just legal equity but human ability, not just equality as a right and a theory but equality as a fact and equality as a result."
The essence of affirmative action is opportunity and the need to keep the doors of opportunity open to disadvantaged women and minorities remains today.
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I agree with this quote : You do not take a person who, for years, has been hobbled by chains and liberate him, bring him up to the starting line of a race and then say, "you are free to compete with all the others," and still justly believe that you have been completely fair.
However, I do not believe that this person should be placed farther ahead than the other runners. We need to address the real problem. Instead of giving that runner an unfair advantage and then having the other runners pass them up, give that person training and build up their strength. Then place them with the other runners, so that they now all have an equal chance, and the fastest runner will win; not the one who started out unfairly farther ahead.
....but don't make people have to use it.
It sets us back. It makes those that use it the perpetrators of racism . It's pathetic. No one should get special treatment because of race no matter who had their great, great grams in chains pickin' whatever from wherever.
People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid. - Soren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
Affirmative action should be removed. Mostly because I think that it enforces a terrible double standard by making hiring for some positions based purely on skin color or ethnicity.
Besides, I think the world is moving away from needing such bullshit laws in place. I mean look at Obama, he wasnt elected because of affirmative action . He was elected because he was a better choice than McCain.
AA was necessary; it has served its purpose and it did it well. It was good policy for awhile, now we need to fix the few problems that exist with different policy; AA is no longer the answer and has actually caused some problems.
Affirmative action shud be an available remedy for any person who feels
he/she deserves to avail themselves of measures that correct an injus- tice or denial of their rights...Like veterans and the disabled, lawful
positive benefits exist to fill such needs...If one qualifies for AA,
they shud demand it as it exists to legally amd morally ameliorate their
condition...Others who do not require AA's provisions are not obliged to
seek them...Aaron Allen..
It divides us. If we are going to be equal lets be equal. Ask yourself this question. Is it right to force some company to hire people because they have to. No it isn't right. I love black people but someday, somewhere at someplace they have to stand on their own.