A634.4.4.RB - Is Affirmative Action Ethical?

Despite the many strides for equality in the United States, there are still inequities between genders and races in the workforce community.  Nonetheless, approximately 97 percent of senior corporate executives in the United States are Caucasian. Still African Americans comprise 12.7 percent of the work force while only 5 percent of all professionals are African American. Hispanics hold only 4 percent of white-collar jobs but make up 7.5 percent of the work force. In 1970, women comprised only 5 percent of lawyers compared to 20 percent today.  Twenty-five years ago, the student population at the University of California, Berkeley, was 80 percent white. Today the current white population is at about 45 percent.  So before we ask if affirmative action is ethical, we must first define what it is.  Believe me; I have heard the well-spoken definition of affirmative action and the most ridiculous definition as well.  First and foremost, it is not a quota system for minorities to get jobs.  Second, it is not made to hire unqualified individuals over qualified individuals.    

Affirmative action is a US policy or program designed to counter discrimination against minority groups and women in areas such as employment and education historically dominated by white men; requiring employers and institutions to set goals for hiring or admitting qualified minorities.  Many white males may argue it is a form of discrimination, but so are bona fide occupational qualifications used in hiring.  So for the sake of argument, let us refer to it as equivalent positive discrimination.  So referring back to the first paragraph, what would the discussed demographics be if there were no programs to counter discrimination? The question is, what is truly unethical, a century-long legacy of racism and sexism against minorities or a program aimed to prevent discrimination against employees or applicants for employment on the basis of color, religion, sex, age, or national origin. 

There are numerous arguments against affirmative action programs.  Some of the most recognized include the California (Proposition 209), the Washington (Initiative 200), the Michigan (Michigan Civil Rights Initiative), and the Nebraska (Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative).  Personally, I don’t fully understand why there is such controversy, but then on the other hand, I do.  Often those who discriminate do not see the effects of their actions.  However when they feel they are discriminated against, it becomes a worthy cause.  The sad thing is this is exactly what the Declaration of Independence avowed so many years before when it stated “all men are created equal” and by the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment stating that the Constitution be colorblind and neither know nor tolerate classes among citizens.”

Here is my perspective; we as a nation are still ignorant and stubborn to the intent of affirmative action.  When courses like this address controversial subjects such as affirmation action, you begin to see covert and overt hatred, the ignorance, and bigotry from peers.  I went back and read blogs from past classes in this program, and all I can say is wow.  We still have a long way to go as a nation.  So as far as I see it, affirmative action is not unethical.  What is unethical is our failure or reluctance to educate one another of the true intent of the affirmative action policy.