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