American Entitlement Essay Example
Running head: AMERICAN ENTITLEMENT
American Entitlement There was a time in this country when those who worked got paid and those who did not work did not get paid. At least, that is the way the majority saw it, white males. This thinking did not take into consideration people who could not work due to a mobility issue or those who could not get a job based on their skin color. Any time these days there is a call of racism or disabilities politicians come running with their solutions that they feel will help get them elected and get that vote. These are hot button issues and the politicians' solutions, while well intentioned, have caused more issues than solved problems. Affirmative action is the ends to those solutions. These solutions have become the new problems as they are ends and not means. Affirmative action hopes to end the plight of minorities getting good jobs by requiring businesses of a particular size to hire x number of minority workers in relevance to the businesses size. ADA is a means as it empowers; "the Americans with Disabilities Act is more than a new regulation for employers; it provides the impetus for employers to develop a better understanding of how people with disabilities can be a vital addition to the work force," (Bailey & Pati 1995). Title 1 of the ADA is the focus here as it is in regards to employment. In order to understand the relevance of both ADA and affirmative action it is necessary to critique them both and the account for what needs to be changed for these acts to be less controversial and much more effective and helpful. Affirmative action works. It gives minorities the opportunity to work in an environment that they may not have been considered for previously. However, it is slowly bringing racism back into the foray again, certainly it is far different from the slave days or the civil rights days but it is there none-the-less. Job and school placement are no longer based strictly on merit. Now within
American Entitlement There was a time in this country when those who worked got paid and those who did not work did not get paid. At least, that is the way the majority saw it, white males. This thinking did not take into consideration people who could not work due to a mobility issue or those who could not get a job based on their skin color. Any time these days there is a call of racism or disabilities politicians come running with their solutions that they feel will help get them elected and get that vote. These are hot button issues and the politicians' solutions, while well intentioned, have caused more issues than solved problems. Affirmative action is the ends to those solutions. These solutions have become the new problems as they are ends and not means. Affirmative action hopes to end the plight of minorities getting good jobs by requiring businesses of a particular size to hire x number of minority workers in relevance to the businesses size. ADA is a means as it empowers; "the Americans with Disabilities Act is more than a new regulation for employers; it provides the impetus for employers to develop a better understanding of how people with disabilities can be a vital addition to the work force," (Bailey & Pati 1995). Title 1 of the ADA is the focus here as it is in regards to employment. In order to understand the relevance of both ADA and affirmative action it is necessary to critique them both and the account for what needs to be changed for these acts to be less controversial and much more effective and helpful. Affirmative action works. It gives minorities the opportunity to work in an environment that they may not have been considered for previously. However, it is slowly bringing racism back into the foray again, certainly it is far different from the slave days or the civil rights days but it is there none-the-less. Job and school placement are no longer based strictly on merit. Now within