Questions on Affirmative Action
Part A: Questions on Affirmative Action
What is Affirmative Action? Affirmative action can be defined by the set of public policies and initiatives designed to help eliminate past and present discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin (Sykes 2009). The focus of such policies and initiatives range from employment and education to public contracting and health programs (Wikipedia 2009). These affirmative actions policies have been established in response to decades of discrimination against minorities, even after the passage of constitutional amendments and federal statutes prohibiting discrimination (ThisNation 2009). Affirmative action has been around since the late 1800s, however the push for more extensive laws and the enforcement of affirmative action actually began in the 1960s during the Civil Rights movement in the United States (WiseGeek 2008).
Who has been Affirmative Action 's largest beneficiary? Why? When talking about who has benefited the greatest from affirmative action many people would say either African Americans or Latin Americans, however Caucasian women are the true largest beneficiaries of affirmative action. According to a blog by Hilary Clinton at Wordpess.com, people always speak in terms of race in relation to affirmative action when in fact the Civil Rights amendment was really about women. White women are the second largest group of people after that of Caucasian males. With this being said and understanding that all women benefited from the Civil Rights amendment, one can easily see how Caucasian women have been the primary beneficiaries of affirmative action. An example of affirmative action benefiting Caucasian women greatly is the edge given to them for entering colleges and job markets.
What does quotas have to do with Affirmative Action? Many people believe that affirmative action is a quota system that is in affect in the United States. However, affirmative action is not a quota system
What is Affirmative Action? Affirmative action can be defined by the set of public policies and initiatives designed to help eliminate past and present discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin (Sykes 2009). The focus of such policies and initiatives range from employment and education to public contracting and health programs (Wikipedia 2009). These affirmative actions policies have been established in response to decades of discrimination against minorities, even after the passage of constitutional amendments and federal statutes prohibiting discrimination (ThisNation 2009). Affirmative action has been around since the late 1800s, however the push for more extensive laws and the enforcement of affirmative action actually began in the 1960s during the Civil Rights movement in the United States (WiseGeek 2008).
Who has been Affirmative Action 's largest beneficiary? Why? When talking about who has benefited the greatest from affirmative action many people would say either African Americans or Latin Americans, however Caucasian women are the true largest beneficiaries of affirmative action. According to a blog by Hilary Clinton at Wordpess.com, people always speak in terms of race in relation to affirmative action when in fact the Civil Rights amendment was really about women. White women are the second largest group of people after that of Caucasian males. With this being said and understanding that all women benefited from the Civil Rights amendment, one can easily see how Caucasian women have been the primary beneficiaries of affirmative action. An example of affirmative action benefiting Caucasian women greatly is the edge given to them for entering colleges and job markets.
What does quotas have to do with Affirmative Action? Many people believe that affirmative action is a quota system that is in affect in the United States. However, affirmative action is not a quota system
Cited: (cont 'd) Wikipedia. (2009, November 13). Conscription in the United States. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscription_in_the_United_States. Wise Geek. (2009, November 10). What is Affirmative Action? Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-affirmative-action.htm Word Press. (2009, November 12). White Women Biggest Beneficiaries of Affirmative Action. Retrieved from http://thekrays.wordpress.com/2008/03/06/white-women-biggest-beneficiaries-of-affirmative-action/