Ethics of Affirmative Action Essay example - 2184 Words

Affirmative Action: Staying on the Road to Equality â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness† (Declaration of Independence, 1776). Who would imagine that in a country under the blanket such a brilliant, ethical and proud statement of equality, there could be so much dissention about equality? Our nation has interpreted this statement differently since it was written, and still, more than two hundred years later, we are on the road to a truly equal society. This is because racism has its seeds deeply sown into the history of America. Uprooting perceptions†¦show more content†¦The United States began as thirteen English settler colonies. Britain had control over American government and trade. The thirteen colonies were also used to the advantage of Britain, and they did not like it, so they fought for independence and won the Revolutionary War. They were no longer colonies. People from many different European countries began to immigrate to America. The United States were becoming very ethnically diverse. Though colonialism was ended in the United States, exploitation of labor was not. Slaves were brought from Africa in large numbers, most often to work on plantations in the south. Slavery was a key element of United States society and economy. People of African descent were viewed as not even fully human. For example, in the Dred Scott case of 1857, the Supreme court ruled that black Americans were not constitutionally citizens of the United states, calling them â€Å"subordinate and inferior beings.† (Kranz 6). Only six years later, after the Civil War ended, President Lincoln declared all slaves free by the Emancipation Proclamation, which was followed by the Thirteenth Amendment, which permanently abolished slavery. In the eyes of the government, blacks were free citizens of the United States, but in the eyes of man y Americans they were still inferior. The ideology that had been cultivated for centuries was not as easy to change as the law. This wasShow MoreRelatedAdvantages and Disadvantages of Affirmative Action Essay1667 Words   |  7 PagesEssay The Affirmative Action Debate Affirmative Action Defined Affirmative Action can be defined as â€Å"positive steps taken to increase the representation of women and minorities in areas of employment, education, and business from which they have been historically excluded (Standford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)†. However because those steps involve â€Å"preferential† selection affirmative action generates intense controversy (Standford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). Affirmative Action (Negative)Read MoreAffirmative Action and the Disabled: Should Disabled Veterans Receive Preferential Treatment in Hiring Decisions?1028 Words   |  4 PagesAffirmative Action and the Disabled: Should Disabled Veterans Receive Preferential Treatment in Hiring Decisions? When people think of affirmative action programs, they generally think of programs that give preference to candidates based on gender or race. However, one of the most vital affirmative action programs in the United States is the Disabled Veterans Affirmative Action Program (DVAAP). 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Noe, affirmative action is an organization’s active effort to find opportunities to hire or promote people in a particular group (Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 68). There are various arguments for and against affirmative action. Some believe that it gives certain groups of people an equal opportunity to find employment where they would otherwise be kicked under the rug. Others believe that even though it createsRead MoreMotivation Over Money838 Words   |  3 Pagesin effect Affirmative Action. This policy gives preference to races that were historically harmed and therefore stunted in ability to make more of their lives now. These minorities are given first choice in places such as the workplace or in educational institutions in order to make them more culturally diverse. In the comparison of two opposing views on the issue, I agree with the view that does not condone Affirmative Action. I agree with the article â€Å"The Case against Affirmative Action,† writtenRead MoreEssay IM Black YouRe White Whos Innocent1114 Words   |  5 PagesSummary: This paper is based on an article called Im Black Youre White Whos innocent by Shelby Steel. The article takes a position that is against affirmative action because it takes the independence away from people of color. The article â€Å"I’m Black, You’re White, Who’s Innocent?’ is an analysis of the black and white racist situation that America has been facing. It is a claim to the fact that both the groups have created the racist situation. Some whites accept that the racist attitudeRead MoreModule 6 - Original Assignment839 Words   |  4 PagesBUSINESS ETHICS MODULE 6 M6 - ORIGINAL ASSIGNMENT Question: For over two hundred years, white males have been the most powerful group in the United States. Through economic exclusions, enforced by laws and reinforced by deep cultural attitudes, there has existed, in effect, a preferential hiring program for white males. In light of that historical reality and the dynamics that remain in our culture, evaluate the contemporary strategy of affirmative action for minorities to bring aboutRead More Affirmative Action needs to be Changed not Ended Essay1321 Words   |  6 PagesAffirmative action: Should it be mended or ended? Affirmative action is an attempt to correct unequal distribution of benefits (status, income and wealth, power and authority), and burdens associated with ethnic and gender differences. Affirmative action has been promoted by the Federal government since the mid 1960s, when president Lyndon B. Johnson ordered federal contractors to adopt affirmative action plans. (Congress and the Nation, 748). This paper will focus on the relevance of affirmativeRead MoreAfrican American Economy : African Americans909 Words   |  4 PagesDirector, Washington Bureau, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People â€Å"because of affirmative action, fairness is now a rule, guaranteeing more opportunities for White males as well as minorities and women to compete for jobs. Indeed, the purpose of affirmative action has always been to create an environment where merit can prevail†. Countless people in America believe affirmative action is not needed in today’s society. White Americans believe that the African American community hasRead MoreAffirmative Action : Discrimination Against Minorities1513 Words   |  7 PagesOthmane Ezzabdi AP Seminar Affirmative Action Affirmative action has been apart of the work environment in America since the 1960s until present time. Its main goal has been to suppress the discrimination against minorities and to give them a fighting chance to succeed in achieving their goal of living the American dream all in an act to counter the inexcusable racism and discrimination that has been inhumanely placed on to the minorities over a century ago in the United States; it will ultimately