Media Post 6

I found another editorial I thought would be relevant to my media portfolio, it is titled "Time to rethink affirmative action?". First off affirmative action in the U.S. is a policy or program intended to promote access to education, employment or housing among certain designated groups (minorities etc). The editorial, I think, is very good well worded with a point at the end of the editorial that is common to our readings. The author starts out this column by saying that he likes diversity and that diversity contributes to a greater good but as he continues he is skeptical to the power of affirmative action. He asks the readers questions such as "If two people apply for a job, college admission, scholarship or other scrutinized entity, should one be given better treatment than the other because of their skin color?" Of course the answer is "no" noone should have to feel as if they have been discriminated against either. Wasnt that the point of affirmative action? He continues saying that if his comment were read 50 years ago automatically it would be assumed that he was referring to African Americans but nowadays we know that statement is more relfective of organizational practices designed to ensure diversity in specific environments. The article slams the idea of affirmative action saying that it was not enforced and was to make minorities feel like something was going to happen and what a better way to instill false hope than to draft the practices that gave special consideration to race? After desegregation although flawed, through time African Americans were given access to more and more opprotunities. My favorite part of this editorial is the part when the author tells readers about the newest supreme court cases dealing with diversity to show where our country stands now. One case talked about how Jennifer Grantz was denied admission to the University of Michigan as an undergraduate because she was considered in an "underrepresented group" and U of M admits their students on a 150 point scale and because she was part of the "underrepresented" she automatically had to fulfill 20 more points that students of the majority. Barbara Grutter was also denied admission to the University of Michigans law school because they use race as a predominent factor in the admission process. The author also quotes a person of law saying "within 25 years this should not be an issue" they believe in that time frame society should move to a point where racial intolerance is a non-issue and should not play a role in an admissions process. But should it even be now? Think about all the time we have had already. As he continues he talks about how this process grants unfair admission to students who may not be as qualified and some states have already started movement on this problem such as California, Washinton and Florida have all banned the consideration of race in all government contracting hiring and state supported education. The author ends with a good thought, "Diversity is a good thing. It makes us a better institution, state, and country. But let's not unfairly and wrongly achieve this admirable goal. Let's have a discussion about how rightly we can ensure a diverse environment for all of us, not at the expense of qualified individuals being left out." I thought this was a good editorial for a couple reasons. One being that it deals with unfair treatment but in an environment we are familiar with, the college/university setting. Secondly it relates directly to what we are talking about in class. Comparitably, "Slavery without Submission, Emancipation without Freedom" on page 137 of that article Zinn says that blacks had to struggle constantly with the unconcious racism of white abolisionists. Why should anyone be judged that harshly for admittance or anything? Everyone is suppose to have equal rights. Also Zinn's article talks about how the underrepresented were the backbone of antislavery movements. I think that we are going in the right direction but we still need to make a large leap to be where I think we should be on the issue. Also the movie "Eyes on the Prize" specifically for Brown vs. Board of Education which ruled that segregated schools were unconstitutional. But the movie is also relevant for other things such as the little rock nine and their struggle for acceptance and equal education. I believe that diversity is a very good thing but affirmative action is not enforced and at the same time even if it was there will always be people who have personal hate for no good reason. I think that we are fortunate to go to a diverse school because I think it provides equal opprotunity and the chance to meet people and learn about different cultures other than your own.