Affirmative Action

Paper Summary:

The paper relates that affirmative action was originally conceived to redress discrimination and to foster harmony and integration. This was to be achieved through active efforts to improve the employment or educational opportunities of members of minority groups and women. The paper strongly contends, however, that affirmative action has proven ineffective in businesses due to its discriminatory affects on hiring practices, its compromise of minority achievement and its perpetuation of racism. The paper asserts that affirmative action should be replaced with a rule to always hire and promote the most qualified candidates.

From the Paper:

"Giving special preference to people of a particular race or gender is unconstitutional and discriminatory. Yet, affirmative action takes into account these very factors, posing risks for businesses who engage in these practices even though they are legal within certain vague boundaries. To avoid possible constitutional violations, businesses must both prove that there is an important need to use a discriminatory factor such as race or sex in the job selection or promotion process and they must also show that there is no other way than the use of racial or gender preferences to achieve the same objective."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Pojman, Louis P., ed. "The Case Against Affirmative Action." Office Of The Dean. United States Military Academy A West Point. 10 Nov. 2005 <http:///www.dean.usma.edu/english/pojman/PublishedWorks/AffirmativeAction.html>.
• Richard Sander, "A Systemic Analysis of Affirmative Action in American Law Schools," Stanford Law Review, 57 (Nov. 2004), 478,449,460.
• Harrison, Jon, ed. Grants For Minorities. 15 Sept. 2005. Michigan State University Libraries. 12 Nov. 2005 <http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/3specpop.htm>.
• Bliwise, Robert J., ed. "Reaffirming Affirmative Action." Duke Magazine Sept.-Oct.2003.

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