Affirmative Action & Ethics
Index of Arguments Against Affirmative Action
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Affirmative Action is a moral and political question which seems to divide Americans more than it unites them. On the one side are those who regard it as a type of program designed to rectify racism and reverse the effects of both past and present discrimination; on the other side are those who simply see it as another form of discrimination, giving one group extra advantages based upon nothing but their skin color.
Perhaps the most contentious arena of debate over affirmative action lies in the field of education and admission to colleges. This is where affirmative action tends to be defended and attacked most fiercely because it is here that people get an important start on their lives and careers. It is also an either/or situation because either you are admitted to a college or you are not - and if you feel that you have been discriminated against when you are denied admission, you aren't likely to be happy about it.
-->What is Affirmative Action?
Many ethical discussions are undermined when people do not have a clear grasp of what it is they are discussing. Even worse, disagreements over an issue can become magnified when people operate under very different understandings of the same concepts. It is crucial, therefore, to take the time to address exactly what needs to be discussed and why.Isn't Racial Discrimination Illegal?
A common and straightforward objection to Affirmative Action is to simply observe that racial discrimination is illegal - therefore, few if any people continue to discriminate when it comes to hiring or admissions. So, if people refrain from discriminating, there really isn't any need for Affirmative Action programs to increase the minority representation, is there?Are Racial Disparity & Discrimination Still a Problem?
Even if the legal prohibitions against racial discrimination don't prevent it entirely, surely there have been enough gains in racial equality over the past decades that there isn't any more unjustified disparity between races or genders - or at least, that is what some people argue. If disparity and discrimination are no longer a problem, then Affirmative Action programs are no longer needed.Is Affirmative Action Unjust?
When someone is denied a job or admission to a college and an affirmative action program plays a role, it is often claimed that this program is "unjust." This is somewhat ambiguous, however, because it is not immediately clear what would be regarded as a more "just" system. Indeed, different opponents of affirmative action could intend different arguments.
