Affirmative Action is Harmful to Society Essay -- Synthesis Essays, Ar

In the arguable realms of approbatory action, the largest issue staunchly fought over is whether minorities should be given preferential treatment in the workplace and in the schools. One side declares that those in the minority group need and deserve governmental aid so that they will be on equal footing with the majority group. Opponents of approbative action point out that setting apart groups based on their race or ethnicity is purely racism and can lead to void discrimination. I am against affirmative action for the aforementioned reasons, and would not hear such racism as necessary for creating a healthy society, as proponents would insist. It is my belief that affirmative action today is out of date and is inherently harmful to society. favourable action supporter Stephen Steinberg, in his essay The approving Action Debate, argued that equality in society is not possible without governmental intervention and aid. He asserts the problem is stated falsely when it is su ggested that we must lead in the midst of merit or preference, or between the rights of individuals and the rights of groups, or between a color-blind or color-conscious society (363). Yet while he said that, he supported the very issues he is adamant against by favoring affirmative action. Earlier in his essay he describes the history of affirmative action in the workplace from equal rights for all, to reaching out to get certain minority groups for employment, and to preferential treatment of minorities (360). Of these three, the only one I can fully and strongly support is the first. When I look at all the aspects of this issue I wonder if we have failed to focus on the correct issue. Affirmative actions purpose claims to be t... ...Society. Ed. Bryan J. Grapes. San Diego Greenhaven. 2000. 38-46. Gelles, Richard J., and Ann Levine. Sociology An Introduction. San Francisco McGraw-Hill College, 1999. Kristol, Irving. The Tragic Error of Affirmative Action. Wall Street Journa l 1 Aug. 1994. Rpt. in Interracial the States Opposing Viewpoints as Affirmative Action is Reverse Discrimination. Ed. Bonnie Szumski. San Diego Greenhaven. 1996. 144-48. Silverstein, Shel. Where the paving material Ends. San Francisco Harper, 1974. Steele, Shelby. Social Evils. The New York Times 13 Mar. 1994. Rpt. in Interracial the States Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. Bonnie Szumski. San Diego Greenhaven. 1996. 175. Steinberg, Stephen. The Affirmative Action Debate. The UNESCO Courier Mar. 1996. Rpt. in Essays from present-day(a) Culture. 4th ed. Ed. Katherine Anne Ackley. San Diego Harcourt. 2001. 359-63.