PAPER TOPIC: Affirmative Action

Okay, so I have to write a paper--struggling with a precise topic so I thought by opening it up here I MIGHT find a good topic simply due to gauging how people actually feel about the issue.

What are your feelings about race-based affirmative action? How do you think it would/does impact society?
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Replies

  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
    I have it to thank for getting me through graduate school, so I'm all for it.

    JK with this post btw, as I was one of 3 white males out of 40 or so in our department.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    Depends on method and context.
  • MattTheWaterRat
    MattTheWaterRat Posts: 167 Member
    How liberal is the teacher grading your paper?
  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
    How liberal is the teacher grading your paper?

    yeah, in all seriousness I wouldn't touch that one. The most controversial thing I ever wrote about was Bush's handling of his appointed committee on stem cell research.
  • trojanbb
    trojanbb Posts: 1,297 Member
    It's despicable and terribly immoral. That said, I would not write about it in an academic setting. Professors are generally some of the most closed-minded, egotistical individuals on the planet.
  • Maybe you should research the issue ... and do your own homework! :wink:
  • jazzalea
    jazzalea Posts: 412 Member
    I'm totally against race based affirmative action.... as a white person... that's right I admit it.... I'm white... .I was raised by my parents to be tolerant of all races..... and I grew up believing that all races are equal. fundamentally I still believe that

    ... however... as an adult.... I am so sick and tired of having racism shoved down my throat....I am sick of making allowances for people because of their race and culture.... I am tired of having to look the other way and turn the other cheek when people of a different race or god forbid religion are just flat out RUDE.... now I know that white people are rude too... but when a white person makes the slightest misstep they are castigated as being racist to the point where it is no longer safe to even make THIS statement..... someone somewhere will have already decided based on what I just wrote that I too am a racist.....

    I'm not racist I believe that every individual on earth has the capacity be either good or bad....and I believe that people should be judged on who they are , how they behave and what they think..... and that should be in all situations... whether it's employment, education or social situations.... and I'm tired of people using this as an excuse to get benefits that they simply are not entitled to.....

    we will NOT be equal until we ACCEPT that we are, as individuals and as a society as a whole... it cannot be legislated....

    ducks :flowerforyou:
  • Maybe you should research the issue ... and do your own homework! :wink:

    RUDE! Do you not think I have researched/done my own homework. Theoretical research and "studies" only go so far. I'm asking for real world, real life, modern day opinions.

    I've researched this topic for YEARS. Thank you for your unhelpful and downright rude reply.
  • The class is incredibly liberal, in general, so I'm not worried about pissing anyone off. I moreso want to get a feel for why people feel the way they feel about it. I am kind of torn about it--as a biracial individual I think my situation is somewhat different than monoracials and I've struggled with both sides (for and against this method).
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,861 Member
    -as a biracial individual I think my situation is somewhat different than monoracials...

    Biracialism is much more common than most people imagine. My family is biracial but because of the way I look, it never occurs to people or comes up as a topic.
  • -as a biracial individual I think my situation is somewhat different than monoracials...

    Biracialism is much more common than most people imagine. My family is biracial but because of the way I look, it never occurs to people or comes up as a topic.

    Well phenotypically I do not fit one OR the other so that's likely why my perspective is different.
  • magj0y
    magj0y Posts: 1,911 Member
    How liberal is the teacher grading your paper?

    yeah, in all seriousness I wouldn't touch that one. The most controversial thing I ever wrote about was Bush's handling of his appointed committee on stem cell research.

    ^^ I think it is an outdated and unnessesary concept
  • GypsysBloodRose26
    GypsysBloodRose26 Posts: 341 Member
    I'm totally against race based affirmative action.... as a white person... that's right I admit it.... I'm white... .I was raised by my parents to be tolerant of all races..... and I grew up believing that all races are equal. fundamentally I still believe that

    ... however... as an adult.... I am so sick and tired of having racism shoved down my throat....I am sick of making allowances for people because of their race and culture.... I am tired of having to look the other way and turn the other cheek when people of a different race or god forbid religion are just flat out RUDE.... now I know that white people are rude too... but when a white person makes the slightest misstep they are castigated as being racist to the point where it is no longer safe to even make THIS statement..... someone somewhere will have already decided based on what I just wrote that I too am a racist.....

    I'm not racist I believe that every individual on earth has the capacity be either good or bad....and I believe that people should be judged on who they are , how they behave and what they think..... and that should be in all situations... whether it's employment, education or social situations.... and I'm tired of people using this as an excuse to get benefits that they simply are not entitled to.....

    we will NOT be equal until we ACCEPT that we are, as individuals and as a society as a whole... it cannot be legislated....

    ducks :flowerforyou:

    This. I complete agree with this statement.
  • littlelily613
    littlelily613 Posts: 769 Member
    I agree that you may want to find a different topic...unless your class is all about controversial topics such as this which may very well be the case. Personally I don't like affirmative action. I do believe in equal opportunity, but not affirmative action. I believe that all candidates should receive opportunities based on their merits alone, not on the colour of their skin. It is not fair for whites to be ahead all of the time because they are white. Likewise it is not fair for non-white people to always get positions just because of affirmative action. The best candidate should be selected because they have the best things to offer regardless of whether they are white, black, yellow, or green with purple polka dots.
  • twistygirl
    twistygirl Posts: 517 Member
    Wow I must have been sleep I thought affirmative action went away in the 90's haven't heard that word in a long time :huh:
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,861 Member
    -as a biracial individual I think my situation is somewhat different than monoracials...

    Biracialism is much more common than most people imagine. My family is biracial but because of the way I look, it never occurs to people or comes up as a topic.

    Well phenotypically I do not fit one OR the other so that's likely why my perspective is different.

    Exactly my situation. I just don't use big words. ;-)
  • zeebruhgirl
    zeebruhgirl Posts: 493 Member
    ... however... as an adult.... I am so sick and tired of having racism shoved down my throat....I am sick of making allowances for people because of their race and culture.... I am tired of having to look the other way and turn the other cheek when people of a different race or god forbid religion are just flat out RUDE.... now I know that white people are rude too... but when a white person makes the slightest misstep they are castigated as being racist to the point where it is no longer safe to even make THIS statement..... someone somewhere will have already decided based on what I just wrote that I too am a racist.....

    Ditto. What makes you any more entitled, white black or otherwise? And why should I treat you any differently than I would anyone else based on race? If we're all "equal" as we claim to be, why do we still shout racism every 5 seconds?

    You shouldn't get any special treatment no matter what your circumstance. You're a human.
  • jazzalea
    jazzalea Posts: 412 Member
    wow I completely didn`t even consider that my own children are bi-racial.... my husband was part black.... oops african american... no wait Canadian american... I mean African Canadian.... oh screw it.... they`re just my kids.... no wonder I forgot
  • I don't have a problem with Affirmative Action. I work for a public institution in the South that is more progressive than most, yet I can tell you that our workforce could definitely use more diversity of race, age, creed, you name it. Our hiring practices include additional checks and balances to ensure that we have considered all qualified candidates. I have never seen this Affirmative Action used to force departments to hire someone who was not qualified for the job.
  • foxyforce
    foxyforce Posts: 3,078 Member
    I'm totally against race based affirmative action.... as a white person... that's right I admit it.... I'm white... .I was raised by my parents to be tolerant of all races..... and I grew up believing that all races are equal. fundamentally I still believe that

    ... however... as an adult.... I am so sick and tired of having racism shoved down my throat....I am sick of making allowances for people because of their race and culture.... I am tired of having to look the other way and turn the other cheek when people of a different race or god forbid religion are just flat out RUDE.... now I know that white people are rude too... but when a white person makes the slightest misstep they are castigated as being racist to the point where it is no longer safe to even make THIS statement..... someone somewhere will have already decided based on what I just wrote that I too am a racist.....

    I'm not racist I believe that every individual on earth has the capacity be either good or bad....and I believe that people should be judged on who they are , how they behave and what they think..... and that should be in all situations... whether it's employment, education or social situations.... and I'm tired of people using this as an excuse to get benefits that they simply are not entitled to.....

    we will NOT be equal until we ACCEPT that we are, as individuals and as a society as a whole... it cannot be legislated....

    ducks :flowerforyou:

    i am quoting this not to respond to the writer, but as an example of why you shouldn't be asking an internet community filled with people who don't know wtf they are talking about, about anti-oppression strategies. affirmative action has roots, and racism is super prevalent all over the world, even in this women's backyard, but because it is covert people don't take the time to think about and/or analyze it. affirmative action plans would probably work really well if it wasn't as "race/colour" based as it was about Socioeconomic status...which is often lower in black and aboriginal communities. so I do think it is important to give people opportunity and address the unequalities and class divides.

    do not take anyone's info as even a starting point for your research, if you need opinions you should connect with some african, aboriginal, afghani (etc.) community and advocacy centres. they do have academics that are connected with these places that know the research.....

    please no one listen to ignorant comments like the one above....no offence lady
  • foxyforce
    foxyforce Posts: 3,078 Member
    The class is incredibly liberal, in general, so I'm not worried about pissing anyone off. I moreso want to get a feel for why people feel the way they feel about it. I am kind of torn about it--as a biracial individual I think my situation is somewhat different than monoracials and I've struggled with both sides (for and against this method).

    you should totally focus your paper just on the ignorance surrounding affirmative action and the biases associated, i think it keeps it factual and safe
  • magj0y
    magj0y Posts: 1,911 Member
    The class is incredibly liberal, in general, so I'm not worried about pissing anyone off. I moreso want to get a feel for why people feel the way they feel about it. I am kind of torn about it--as a biracial individual I think my situation is somewhat different than monoracials and I've struggled with both sides (for and against this method).

    you should totally focus your paper just on the ignorance surrounding affirmative action and the biases associated, i think it keeps it factual and safe

    You definitely want to keep it factual and unbiased unless you are also very liberal.
  • jazzalea
    jazzalea Posts: 412 Member
    I'm totally against race based affirmative action.... as a white person... that's right I admit it.... I'm white... .I was raised by my parents to be tolerant of all races..... and I grew up believing that all races are equal. fundamentally I still believe that

    ... however... as an adult.... I am so sick and tired of having racism shoved down my throat....I am sick of making allowances for people because of their race and culture.... I am tired of having to look the other way and turn the other cheek when people of a different race or god forbid religion are just flat out RUDE.... now I know that white people are rude too... but when a white person makes the slightest misstep they are castigated as being racist to the point where it is no longer safe to even make THIS statement..... someone somewhere will have already decided based on what I just wrote that I too am a racist.....

    I'm not racist I believe that every individual on earth has the capacity be either good or bad....and I believe that people should be judged on who they are , how they behave and what they think..... and that should be in all situations... whether it's employment, education or social situations.... and I'm tired of people using this as an excuse to get benefits that they simply are not entitled to.....

    we will NOT be equal until we ACCEPT that we are, as individuals and as a society as a whole... it cannot be legislated....

    ducks :flowerforyou:

    i am quoting this not to respond to the writer, but as an example of why you shouldn't be asking an internet community filled with people who don't know wtf they are talking about, about anti-oppression strategies. affirmative action has roots, and racism is super prevalent all over the world, even in this women's backyard, but because it is covert people don't take the time to think about and/or analyze it. affirmative action plans would probably work really well if it wasn't as "race/colour" based as it was about Socioeconomic status...which is often lower in black and aboriginal communities. so I do think it is important to give people opportunity and address the unequalities and class divides.

    do not take anyone's info as even a starting point for your research, if you need opinions you should connect with some african, aboriginal, afghani (etc.) community and advocacy centres. they do have academics that are connected with these places that know the research.....

    please no one listen to ignorant comments like the one above....no offence lady

    see? see what I mean??? and this is why I`m against it.... I view all people as equal.... and I think It`s demeaning to everyone to say that acceptance has to be FORCED upon us... and just by saying my own views out.loud.... I`m considered ignorant....

    sighs.... ducking my white head in shame.......

    oh yeah.... and offence taken :)
  • lamilli09
    lamilli09 Posts: 354 Member
    Affirmative action, in my opinion, is a tool that society has designed to *attempt* to address the overwhelming white culture of the US and the racial microaggressions that minorities (of varying races, genders, sexual orientations, religions, etc.) deal with on a daily basis. I think that affirmative action has its place - it can be used well. However, it can also be used poorly and serve to further segregate society into a majority/minority culture rather than a holistic one. I am of the opinion that affirmative action would no longer be necessary in an ideal world. BUT we do not live in an ideal world. Because we live in a world marked by white majority and microaggressions, affirmative action is one of the many tools dedicated to bridging the gaps between cultures.

    Looking forward to reading everyone else's responses.

    Best of luck on your paper!!
  • trojanbb
    trojanbb Posts: 1,297 Member
    Affirmative action, in my opinion, is a tool that society has designed to *attempt* to address the overwhelming white culture of the US and the racial microaggressions that minorities (of varying races, genders, sexual orientations, religions, etc.) deal with on a daily basis. I think that affirmative action has its place - it can be used well. However, it can also be used poorly and serve to further segregate society into a majority/minority culture rather than a holistic one. I am of the opinion that affirmative action would no longer be necessary in an ideal world. BUT we do not live in an ideal world. Because we live in a world marked by white majority and microaggressions, affirmative action is one of the many tools dedicated to bridging the gaps between cultures.

    Looking forward to reading everyone else's responses.

    Best of luck on your paper!!

    It can never be used well. Every use is immoral. Two wrongs do not make a right. Just as Robin Hood's highway robbery is not a valid means of alleviating poverty.
  • lamilli09
    lamilli09 Posts: 354 Member
    Affirmative action, in my opinion, is a tool that society has designed to *attempt* to address the overwhelming white culture of the US and the racial microaggressions that minorities (of varying races, genders, sexual orientations, religions, etc.) deal with on a daily basis. I think that affirmative action has its place - it can be used well. However, it can also be used poorly and serve to further segregate society into a majority/minority culture rather than a holistic one. I am of the opinion that affirmative action would no longer be necessary in an ideal world. BUT we do not live in an ideal world. Because we live in a world marked by white majority and microaggressions, affirmative action is one of the many tools dedicated to bridging the gaps between cultures.

    Looking forward to reading everyone else's responses.

    Best of luck on your paper!!

    It can never be used well. Every use is immoral. Two wrongs do not make a right. Just as Robin Hood's highway robbery is not a valid means of alleviating poverty.

    Alright, I'll bite - haha. How would you recommend addressing and solving the issue of inequality, particularly in areas of achievement, socioeconomic status, health and wellness?
  • trojanbb
    trojanbb Posts: 1,297 Member
    By protecting liberty and personal property. Nothing more. There will always be socioeconomic inequality. The role of government is absolutely not to to determine adequate levels of social equality and correct them through social justice programs and legislation.
  • By protecting liberty and personal property. Nothing more. There will always be socioeconomic inequality. The role of government is absolutely not to to determine adequate levels of social equality and correct them through social justice programs and legislation.

    Very well said. Thank you for giving me your perspective. The most coherent opinion here!
  • Affirmative action, in my opinion, is a tool that society has designed to *attempt* to address the overwhelming white culture of the US and the racial microaggressions that minorities (of varying races, genders, sexual orientations, religions, etc.) deal with on a daily basis. I think that affirmative action has its place - it can be used well. However, it can also be used poorly and serve to further segregate society into a majority/minority culture rather than a holistic one. I am of the opinion that affirmative action would no longer be necessary in an ideal world. BUT we do not live in an ideal world. Because we live in a world marked by white majority and microaggressions, affirmative action is one of the many tools dedicated to bridging the gaps between cultures.

    Looking forward to reading everyone else's responses.

    Best of luck on your paper!!

    Great answer as well. I actually share this perspective for the MOST part --It's a difficult question because it is so politicized and stratifying. I just don't know if there is a GOOD remedy for the systemic inequality perpetuated by these microaggressions that you speak of.
  • scottbrown78
    scottbrown78 Posts: 142 Member
    Any time race is used as a deciding factor it IS RACIST! AA is immoral!
This discussion has been closed.