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| The 'Minority Stick' |
We all know affirmative action is intended to promote equal opportunity, but that doesn’t mean it’s effective. Minorities are often given preferences with jobs and universities often having racial quotas. However, in the U.S. this mainly applies to African Americans and Hispanic Americans. In spite of the fact that Asian Americans are also a minority group they don’t receive the same benefits that other minority groups do. Does affirmative action really level the playing field?
I doubt it; I see it is reverse racism. Now African Americans and Hispanic Americans are being given preference solely based on race, not ability. If equal opportunity is what affirmative action is trying to promote they should think about focusing on ability rather than race. Often times the needs of poor European Americans and Asian Americans are neglected in favor of upper-class African Americans and Hispanic Americans.
Since I’m an Asian American I’m technically part of a minority group, but I never receive the same benefits as one. When colleges have racial quotas students are no longer competing against every other student; they are now competing against people in their racial group. The problem with this system is that preference is being given to race as opposed to hard work, which is hypocritical of what America is supposed to be. Hard work is supposed to be worth more than race, but affirmative action brings that into question. I don’t think it’s fair that some students are deprived of spots that they deserve all in the name of equal opportunity. Not only is the system unfair from the ground up, but it is also biased in favor of African Americans and Hispanic American, whereas the Asian American group is not entitled to the same benefits.
Feel free to leave your own thoughts on affirmative action. Are you ‘for’ of ‘against’?
I am not Hispanic American; however, I am Latina and I understand your point of view. In my process of applying for colleges and scholarships I found hundreds of scholarships designed for only Hispanic or Latino students whereas Asian American scholarships weren't even in the dozens. I find it interesting, not in a good way, that Asians don't get the same benefits that other minority races do.
ReplyDeleteI have heard people say before, following in the spirit of some stereotypes that because a person is asian they are automatically smart enough to get enough scholarship money to cover all college expenses. I found that to be one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard.
Now to answer your question, I am definitely against affirmative action and I feel that it is biased towards some races more than others. Everyone should get equal opportunity when it comes to means for scholarships. Just because you are Caucasian or Asian it doesn't mean that you are rich enough or don't deserve the same opportunities as African Americans or Hispanic Americans. What is so great about the "American Dream" if our society follows such biased rules?