The war on affirmative action

April 9, 2013
Filed under Op-Ed

by DARIUS LEWIS
Staff Writer

Chief Justice John Roberts is hoping to end the ongoing war against the affirmative action policy that has been established for years in the U.S.

He has set out to end the “racial discrimination” going on in America, as he feels it is unfair for underprivileged minorities to be given a better chance to enter colleges or businesses that are predominately white.

“The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race,” wrote the Chief Justice, who believes in the idea of “reverse discrimination”.

Affirmative action policies take factors including race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or national origin into account in order to benefit an underrepresented group in employment, education, or business.

The Chief Justice now wishes to dismember the “discriminating” policy on the grounds that it is inherently racist. If Roberts could open his eyes for a moment and realize his statement is redolent of ignorance and misinformation, then he might think twice about his position.

Affirmative action not only helps the unrepresented minority, it also helps break the mold of stereotypes that have been encased and fortified through decades of racism.

There are students who believe otherwise and are against affirmative action, such as senior Jon Galbraith, who said, “I believe that everyone is equal. There is no point of equal rights if you treat blacks differently.”

And while I do respect the opinions of others, I certainly do not agree.

Years ago, an institution hiring a black lawyer or doctor was a concept unheard of because blacks were considered inferior to whites and incapable of such an esteemed position. Affirmative action helped many African-Americans receive jobs during the ’60s and ’70s when JFK introduced the policy to the country.

There are many such as Chief Justice Robert who believe that racism has been eradicated in the workforce and abroad. Such people often bring up the fact that the majority of whites voted a black man into the presidency, as if that is concrete proof of their optimistic assumptions.

The truth is far from it unfortunately, as recent polls have indicated that racial harassment charges have increased 100 percent since 1990. There are still stubborn remnants of America’s discriminating past that refuse to let go, and blacks, hispanics, and many other minorities are being treated unfairly.

Affirmative action is a temporary policy only meant to remedy the situation as best as it can. There are those who believe that it is an unfair policy that gives minorities an unfair edge in business and education; however, the truth of the matter is that it is a way to even the playing field in these areas.

For years, discrimination has handicapped many groups socially and economically, and this is the most effective solution.

There will come a time when affirmative action will not be needed; however, that time has not come yet. Chief Justice Roberts is only showing his immaturity and ignorance when he committed to destroying this policy.