Is affirmative action fair?

Affirmative action is the policy of favoring members of certain groups of people who now suffer, or have suffered in the past, from discrimination.

One side says:
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  • Reverse discrimination shouldn't be used to fix past discrimination

    Two wrongs don't make a right. It wasn't right when employers and schools favored white men in the past, and it isn't right to favor minorities and women now.

  • Applicants should be chosen based on merit and not by race or gender

    Martin Luther King put it best when he said that people should not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

  • Affirmative action favors the privileged.

    Minorities and women who are from the lower classes aren't helped by affirmative action. It's mostly individuals from privileged backgrounds who benefit from the programs.

  • Affirmative action devalues the hard work of many minorities and women.

    Under a regime of affirmative action, the assumption becomes that they couldn't have made it on their own – even if they actually could.

  • Affirmative action increases racial tension.

    When some people get promoted over others not because they personally deserve it but because of the color of their skin, this is not good for racial harmony.

  • Diversity of opinion isn't created by diversity of race or gender

    Diversity of ideas and perspectives doesn't come from race or gender, but from the experience of individuals. And experience varies a lot within any given race or gender.

  • Asian-Americans Weigh in on Affirmative Action
  • Bill O'Reilly Takes On Affirmative Action

The other side says:
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  • Affirmative action reverses negative effects caused by years of discrimination.

    There may be some negative consequences to affirmative action, but we have to keep our eye on the bigger picture – decades of injustice to entire groups of people.

  • Affirmative action makes sure minorities are represented in the workforce and schools.

    It's not healthy when our institutions – schools, workplaces, government bodies – look nothing like our population, in terms of race and gender.

  • Affirmative action in fact creates equal opportunity.

    When some folks start out at a disadvantage, because of traditional attitudes and lack of resources, affirmative action works to level the playing field.

  • Affirmative action creates a better environment in workplace and schools.

    This is because diversity of experience – which inevitably comes with diversity of race and gender – brings a broader diversity of ideas and perspectives.

  • Affirmative action works against ongoing discrimination.

    It's not just about the past. Discrimination – often unconscious – continues to deny opportunities to minorities and women, and needs to be addressed.

  • Affirmative action is not used to promote unqualified applicants.

    Instead, it's used to help minorities and women when they're qualified, but wouldn't otherwise be considered.

  • Affirmative Action Explained
  • Barack Obama's views on AFFIRMATIVE ACTION