Sorry about the lateness of this post. I was absent for the Friday on which the critical conversation occurred and I forgot to post on the blog.
I am really split on this topic. I believe that affirmative action limits our potential as a collective but on the other hand, it levels the playing field for those who may not have been granted the same opportunities as others. The United States is a country that firmly believes in the ideals of democracy, which is a system that rewards those who demonstrate their skill through merit rather than those with financial needs or any other factor. Although I believe that it is the nation's duty to aid those who are less fortunate and are unable to provide for themselves, I feel that affirmative action does not fall under this category. As I said, I do not believe in rugged individualism but giving someone an advantage because of his or her race over someone who performs just as well or even better seems unfair to me. In order to utilize the maximum potential of our students and workers and maintain our status as one of the greatest nations, selections for positions should be based on merit rather than on race.
However, many of those who benefit from affirmative action prove that they are deserving by thriving in better environments that they would not have been exposed to without the assistance of affirmative action. Their applications may not have been as strong as a white male with a perfect score but there is more to a person than just a grade. Experience, personality, race, and gender are just a few other qualifiers and due to a scarcity of successful peers of the same race, minorities are often given a leg up to compete with those who have been able to live unhindered by family issues, debt, and many other problems. But then, this raises the question is diversity necessary for success? I am still torn between both sides and I wish I had been able to take part in this critical conversation
No comments:
Post a Comment