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What the next President’s position on affirmative action be?
By Lauren | August 30, 2008
Whatever your politics may be, this has been an historic week for the U.S. Presidency. On the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s extraordinary “I have a dream” speech, Democrat Senator Barack Obama became the first African American ever to be nominated for President by a major political party. Just a day later, presumptive Republican nominee John McCain announced his selection of a woman, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, to be his running mate in November. It appears as though America may finally be starting to break with the racism and sexism that have cast such a dark cloud over its history, truly embracing King’s vision of a nation where people are judged not by the color of their skin (or by their gender), but by the quality of their character.
So it’s a little surprising that Michael Kinsley wrote in this week’s issue of Time magazine that there’s “a new push for affirmative action by social class.” Really? From whom? Kinsley didn’t say, but he’s probably right that establishing a whole new set of criteria to determine who’s been unfairly disadvantaged and who hasn’t could also create a whole new set of thorny problems for America to solve.
Still, Kinsley is right that America has yet to get past its “great problem of race,” and I would submit that sexism in America hasn’t been eliminated either. Affirmative action might be one way to help level the playing field, but it faces increasing opposition from people who think the playing field is already level enough. Mention affirmative action anywhere in the U.S., and you’re likely to get an earful from someone who thinks it’s utterly unfair to grant people any advantage based on their race or gender … unless you hear first from someone who believes that affirmative action is essential to put minorities and women on an equal footing in a highly competitive society.
Kinsley reports that both of the Presidential candidates seem favorably, if vaguely, inclined toward affirmative action for people who come from underprivileged backgrounds. When an issue is this incendiary, greater clarity is called for. Would it be ethical to overlook the disadvantages that racism and sexism have imposed on millions of Americans when some kind of affirmative action might well give those Americans the boost they need to achieve their full potential? Then again, would it be ethical to force people who have not suffered those disadvantages to lose opportunities in the name of social justice? What is your candidate’s position on affirmative action, and are you okay with it? You decide.
Topics: Presidential Campaign, Social Ethics, ethics |
August 31st, 2008 at 8:22 pm
the very law is a reactionary racist position , Ideally a individual , company or government employer should be highering an employee soley upon individual merit alone .
October 27th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
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