Do We Still Need Affirmative Action?

• “Affirmative ...”

  

  “The Only Issue is Whether the Benefits Outweigh the Costs”

• No Objections Yet

The Only Issue is Whether the Benefits Outweigh the Costs

Center for Equal Opportunity

Expert Verified | See Profile

Recommend (2) Comments (0)

Too often, the debate focuses simply on whether there is some benefit to using racial preferences. As discussed in the next bullet, we believe those purported benefits are unpersuasive, but even if you disagree and think there are benefits, you must also ask whether those benefits outweigh the costs.  

Consider this example: Suppose someone argued against desegregation because he thought this would disrupt the coaching staff of the high-school football team, causing the team to lose more games. Even if this were so, we would conclude that the importance of getting rid of Jim Crow was much more important than the football team’s won-lost record.  Likewise, even if you believe there is some marginal benefit to classroom discussion by having a more “diverse” student body, you have to ask whether such benefits are worth the costs of something as divisive and unfair as racial discrimination.

Next Argument

"Affirmative Action is Divisive" Center for Equal Opportunity

• Only Kind of “Affirmative Action” at Issue is Racial Discrimination
  3
• The Only Issue is Whether the Benefits Outweigh the Costs
  2
• The Two Claimed Benefits of Affirmative Discrimination Not Persuasive
  2
• There Are Many Undeniable Costs to the Use of Racial Preferences
  2
• Envision the Society We Want/Ask if Preferences Will Help Us Get There
  2

"We Need Affirmative Action" AAAA

• Affirmative Action is Necessary
  0
• Diversity is a Compelling State Interest
  0
• Discrimination Continues to Exist
  1
• To End Racism We Must Take Account of Race
  0
• Eliminating Race Does Not Benefit Whites
  0
• Opponents Mis-Characterize Affirmative Action
  1
• Dr. Martin Luther King Would Have Supported Affirmative Action
  0
• The Changing Demographics Call for Affirmative Action
  0

"We Have To Think for Ourselves" Brandon Brice

• The Equal Opportunity Act Was Not About “Quotas”
  2
• The Bigger Picture of What’s Wrong With Black America
  2
• Lack of Preparation
  2

"Definitely" BAMN

• As Long as Racism and Sexism Exist, Affirmative Action is Still Needed
  2
• GPA and Standardized Test Scores are NOT Neutral Measures of Merit
  3
• Racism is the Cause of the "Badge of Inferiority"
  1
• Banning Affirmative Action Resegregates Higher Education
  3
• How to Keep Our Nation on the Path to Equality
  3

"Moving Beyond Race and Gender" Jennifer Gratz

• Equal Opportunity for All
  6
• The Constitutionality of Affirmative Action
  5
• Our National Tragedy
  3

Most Objections

Ban Affirmative Action?

• Yes
• No

View Results