Affirmative Action Debate

"A policy designed to redress past discrimination against women and minority groups through
measures to improve their economic and educational opportunities." At first glance this
definition seems to explain fairly well what affirmative action is and convinces the reader that it
is done in good faith to help make up for past discrimination, yetaffirmative action is
accompanied by many different opinions. This paper will discuss the different viewpoints
regarding affirmative action.
The film Brazil in Black and White talks about affirmative action and its introduction in Brazil.
The University of Brasilia has just implemented this action and we see the journey of students
applying under affirmative action to increase their chances of being admitted, as well as those
who are not. Here we see various opinions. Karinny is "not against the quotas" and applies
under it; unluckily for her she doesnt look black enough. Yet we see the contrast with Iolanda
who thinks differently, she says "some people try to take advantage of being black. They act
like victims to get what they want. I'm against that. Even though she does look black she
doesnt apply to the University of Brasilia under this system because she thinks it would be
unfair. In brazil this action has been very controversial because its in the media, it estimated
that for every one article in favor of affirmative action there is twenty against it. The attitude of
people Brazilians was very similar to the attitude of American in March of 1961 when
President John F. Kennedy implemented affirmative action. Many Americans were against this
and for the same reasons as Brazilians, that it was unfair, yet those who would be benefited
against it, for the most part, just like Brazil citizens.
This article titled Affirmative Action talks provide opinions both ways but mostly talks about
opposition of affirmative action. It does recognize that "such program... [is] based on good
intentions [but it will] do more harm than good"(par.4). It argues that it would actually no be
equality because the fact of being one race would boost someones chances to et into a
certain school, which "violates the fundamental American value of equality of opportunity"(par.
4). Another argument made against it is that and acceptance to college based on race would
be as if Americans nowadays were having to pay for their ancestors mistake, because slavery
was abolished under the 13th amendment, Americans against this feel like they haven't
enslaved anyone so why should race matter? Yet those who are for affirmative action claim
that under this many minorities will have opportunities that they "would not otherwise have
had"(par 3.). This in a sense is true because many universities having a low enrollment of say
black or hispanics will now have to give more spaces to such minorities that weren't there
before. The last sentence of this article says that "preferential programs should focus on
economic disadvantage, regardless of race (par. 5)." Stating that instead of the emphasize
being on what nationality you are it should be put on whether or not you can afford a good
education.
In the article from the newspaper The Louisiana Weekly titled Silence the Anti-Affirmative
Action crusade talks about Jennifer Gratz who was an honor roll high
school student graduate with a 3.8 grade point average...[and] was denied admission to the
University of Michigan in 1995.(par. 4) This article talks about why affirmative action should
be banned and provides both reason and an example as to why. She lost her spot to an
applicant that was a minority group not because he had a better grade point average than her

but because of his race. She took her case to the Supreme Court where they sided with her
and found the universitys point system for undergraduate admissions unconstitutional.(par.
6) Her point of view is the same as to many of those against affirmative action: that race
shouldnt be an indicative as to whether or not you should be admitted to a university. Your
accomplishments and grades should speak for themselves and whether or not youre under a
minority group and help add variety to such university shouldnt be important. Yet it also
presents the example of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa who was the citys first
[Latin] mayor in 133 years.(par. 15) She applied under affirmative action and many students
saw him as sneaking into UCLA through the back door.(par. 16) but he got out through the
front door(par. 16). If it hadnt been for affirmative action the chances of Villaraigosa being
admitted into UCLA would have been far less and maybe he would know be working in a very
different job other than mayor.

The article Race (Still) Matters also gives opinion from both sides, this time talking about the
consequences of using affirmative action or not in considering admissions to school. A
consequence of ending affirmative action is thought to result in sharp drops in black and
Latino enrollments(par. 2). The article continues saying that if that were to happens it is
certainly not because these minorities students are less talented than whites. The question
therefore arise, if minority students are just as talented as whites then why such a low
enrollments in universities such as University of California where only 21.7 percent come
from black or Latino majority schools (par. 5)? To attend such universities it is said that the
best way for a black or Latino student to get(par. 4) in is by attending a white high school.
(par.4). Studies have also shown that if the high scool is predominantly a minority school
fewer Advance Placement courses are likely to be offered.
As seen through these examples the government has a hard decision to make should
affirmative be enforced and make many Anglo- Americans angry and even feel like America
the Fair is gone, or should they ban affirmative action and make many African Americans, as
well as other minority groups, angry and feel like theyre being taken fro granted. Whatever
the decision decided on thing is occur; controversy will not stop and many Americans will be
angry and not in agreement with the decision made.
Brazil in Black and White. Adam,Stephan. Videocassette. PBS,2007
Morial, Marc. Silence the Affirmative Action crusade The Lousiana Weekly.
16 Oct. 2006. 30 Sep. 2007
Scott,Jaschik. Race (Still) Matters. Inside Higher Ed. 13 Aug. 2007. 5 Sep. 2007