The article argues that is about time that racial preferences get to an end and even though affirmative action has played a crucial role in the society, jobs should be given on merit and not on race. Affirmative action has not entirely reduced the ever increasing racial disparities but has instead succeeded in minimizing diversity. It is argued that race remains to be the main reason for affirmative action debate since the doctrine originated from the civil rights movements of the 1960s that outlawed discrimination based on race, gender and ethnicity. According to Ward Connerly, a lead organizer of Nebrasaka and Colorado ballot initiative campaigns, the time has come to do away with race-based decision-making and people should be treated equally regardless of their national origin, color or race.
The fundamental rationale for affirmative action is the believe that the US is institutionally racist and according to Obama, when asked on his views on affirmative action, he indicated that affirmative action cannot be a long-term solution to tackle the racial problems in the country. A policy of ethnic and racial preferences cannot by definition lead to equality since taking a job or education through considering a person`s race or ethnic background is unacceptable. Affirmative action skeptics argue that the beneficiaries face challenges from the idea that they can only receive advantage that they could not receive from their academic work. Affirmative action has not eliminated the between academic deprivation and race/ethnicity and poverty. However, for instance, the supporters of affirmative action hold that reforms in the K-12 education have significantly improved through support to minorities at inadequate public schools.
Affirmative action has evoked several debates over the last couple of decades at the state and federal level. This has been exhibited through the endless chains of law-suits in addition to Supreme Court decisions that have beleaguered the courts. The present day`s political agenda that has been dominated by financial meltdown have left little space for reigniting affirmative action debates. The lack of legislation prohibiting preferences, only abiding to the moral principles that racial discrimination is blatantly wrong. Racial and gender discrimination have for a long time presented obstacles to women and people of color.
The article also raises questions on whether affirmative action has diverted attention from poor quality of the K-12 education in low-income communities. The most agreeable concept is that public schools attended by majority of the students from the low-income communities are worse than ever before. There exists large education gaps in the educational system and they have been growing since the 1990s. As Gary Orfield, Harvard University professor of education and social policy, the country`s public schools have become increasingly segregated by income and race which implies that students of different races do not receive equal opportunities in education.
The background of affirmative action dates back to the 1970s right after the enactment of civil rights laws that opened national debates on various forms of discrimination. At the onset of affirmative action, it expanded exponentially and prompted legal challenges in addition to growing voter discontent on the impact of affirmative action which in consequence led to legislating on new federal and state policies. The article also indicates that the 1990s was characterized with ballot initiatives that banned gender and race preferences that even prompted President Bill Clinton to admit faults in the affirmative action policies. In addition, it is indicated that the national agenda issues have centered on affirmative action in university admissions with the legislators promising more attention on the issue.
After the ascent of President Ronald Reagan to power in 1981, white and blue-collar workers had turned against their former party on affirmative action among other issues. Originally, Reagan appeared poised to meet the hopes of the people that wanted him to ban preferences based on race, gender and ethnicity. The latter followed an upsurge of women fighting to eradicate limits on their education and career attainment. The president never formalized his rejection of the quota system and other similar issues. However, Reagan`s administration ended up weakening the enforcement of affirmative action. Throughout this period, affirmative action issues remained and no special efforts were being made to handle the issues.
Race based affirmative action suffered both in the courts and the political arena from the early 1990s to 2003. For instance, a white male outrage in 1994 that was prompted by preferences for women and minority groups was a critical factor in the congressional elections that eventually toppled the Democrats from the control of both houses. After the Congress changed hands, its leaders targeted affirmative action. This period was marked with Bill Clinton asserting that affirmative action was needed due to the unending discrimination but it should not be entirely abolished and instead it should be mended to tackle all the pertinent issues.
The current situation of affirmative action requires that there is anti-affirmative action legislation which is considered a progressive approach by Jesicca Corry, a Colorado Civil Rights director. Such legislation is targeted at prohibiting state agencies from discrimination for or against anyone because of their race, ethnicity or gender. The prospects of affirmative action look deem and measures should be put in place in order to deal with the changing face of affirmative action.
Works cited
Katel, Peter. Affirmative action. CQ Press.18.36 (2008): 841-864.
