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After reading through the articles as well as some supplemental material revolving around affirmative action have concluded that affirmative action is in fact a Oromo of discrimination, but is not an unfair form of discrimination, it simply eliminates unfair discrimination and develops skills of those individuals who have not had equal opportunities. As Plops (2003) explains in his paper, ‘Ten myths about affirmative action,” myth number seven addresses the topic of curing discrimination with discrimination.
Although it sounds like it skims along the lines Of “two wrongs don’t make a right,” it does make sense. Plops (2003) explains, “The most effective way to cure society of exclusionary’ practices is to make special efforts at inclusion. ” believe this tackles the issue that there is a widespread agreement that equality of opportunity is a requirement for a just society. In essence, practices and selection criteria should be made to ensure organizations do not exclude qualified people from consideration for available positions or employment benefits, regardless of their race, religion, color, or gender.
Affirmative action focuses on groups that have been discriminated against in the workplace; it focuses on these groups because they were discriminated before. Another question to take into consideration is that, although affirmative action is put in place to create equal opportunity, does it actually even out the playing field, so to speak, among people in the workplace? From the definition of affirmative action, you would probably assume that affirmative action has improved the employment status of women and minorities in the workforce, you would be correct.
Harris (2009) explains in his article, “Revisiting affirmative action in leveling the playing field,” that without the policy of affirmative action in place and without the use of gender, race, sex or ethnicity as part of the decision making process, the employment status of women and minorities would have been much worse. Women have been the biggest beneficiaries which have been followed by minorities. I think the most contemporary issue concerning affirmative action is if it needs to be re-evaluated or changed.
Affirmative action began out of necessity in order to benefit women and minorities because of the fact they had been disadvantaged for so many years. Although affirmative action has had its positives in helping minorities and women in the workplace, people’s views are evolving and we are seeing a significant drop in racism and feminism. With that in mind, there are some negative aspects with affirmative action today. For instance, business has suffered some repercussions.
Affirmative action has forced some businesses to demand quotas and ratios of minorities and women in the workforce. In saying this, a less qualified applicant could possibly land a job in which they applied for simply because e or she is a minority, which results in preferential treatment. In conclusion, although affirmative action was set in place to increase employment equality, it is still a form of discrimination.
Although it can be seen as perhaps a more positive act of discrimination it still has some negative outcomes. Preferential treatment is a problem in the workplace these days and should be looked at very carefully. In order for affirmative action to truly be effective, our society must grow to be a true colliding society that accepts men and women as equals. Until that happens affirmative action will always have some benefits, but it will also have some negatives.