Affirmative action should be continued Research Paper

Affirmative action should be continued - Research Paper Example Since its inception, affirmative action has succeeded in balancing the scale of opportunities available to men and women of all ethnicities. A quota system generally reflects the area’s ethnic demographics thereby allowing for real equality opportunity that is not discriminatory towards any particular race. Although the majority ethnic group may now feel they are being treated unjustly because they have indeed lost ground from an economic standpoint, the scale is actually now adjusted closer to the middle thanks primarily to the use of affirmative action, demonstrating the need for this practice to continue. Since its inception in the mid 1960’s, affirmative action has aided many thousands of previously disadvantaged peoples who have since gained previously denied access. This includes those of color, other minorities and all women who were previously excluded from jobs, educational opportunities, or were denied chances for advancement within the institution once given access. These gains have led to very real changes not only in individual’s lives but in the advancement of society’s value of justice for all. Affirmative action programs do not have the ability to eradicate racist attitudes, just some of the effects caused by it. The idea of affirmative action has had its detractors and its implementation has not been without problems, but to eliminate this policy of equal treatment would be to take away the hard fought victories of the Civil Rights Movement and turn back the clock towards the dark days of overt racism in the pre-1960’s U.S. Debates surrounding affirmative action policies are much more far reaching than the legal issue alone. It is the moral responsibility of every citizen and institution in this country to affect all means of ending racism. Yet there is a faction of society who does not accept and have vehemently