Is Race-Based Affirmative Action Justified?
Race-based affirmative action is justifiable in order to increase diversity. While many adversaries criticize the notion that there is a collective responsibility of society to make up for past wrong-doings, this argument focuses only on promoting diversity. In colleges, having a diverse, mixed student body allows students to learn from a wide range of backgrounds. It also helps disadvantaged minorities reach higher leadership positions which would then help the general populations of those minorities because they would have a role model and someone advocating for policies that would benefit them. This argument for increasing diversity sees college admissions as a way to benefit the common good of society. While this would leave some people feeling bitter that minority applicants got in with lower test scores, ultimately, affirmative
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action (to increase diversity) will eventually help everyone and build a better society. Those who feel disadvantaged because of affirmative action need to “take one for the team” to benefit future generations. A common misconception is that affirmative action can only be for black people; however, in Starret City, New York, an apartment complex kept black and Hispanics below 40 percent of total occupancy to promote diversity and encourage white occupants in the buildings. This was still affirmative action, and white people seemed to benefit more than black people or Hispanics. However, the result was a racially diverse community, and the end result justified allowing more white tenants than black or Hispanic tenants.
Racial implicit biases are very widespread, and I think that is part of the reason why affirmative action is justified.
Having an increasingly diverse society would lessen implicit biases (unconscious biases) people have towards different races because people would be exposed to different cultures and would get to know people and move past stereotypes and misconceptions. Once we get rid of, or at least minimize, implicit biases, I think society will become more diverse and accepting. Because many people unknowingly have implicit biases towards different races, this can unintentionally affect hiring practices, friendship decisions, medical diagnosis (especially psychological), and police decisions. This is another reason why diversity needs to increase, thus justifying affirmative action.
I received a “little to no racial preference for African Americans or European Americans (I can’t remember the exact phrase- sorry)”after taking the IAT, but I had a hard time during the test just because I got used to the arrangement of the categories from the first round, so I made more mistakes because I was used to pressing a certain
letter.
action (to increase diversity) will eventually help everyone and build a better society. Those who feel disadvantaged because of affirmative action need to “take one for the team” to benefit future generations. A common misconception is that affirmative action can only be for black people; however, in Starret City, New York, an apartment complex kept black and Hispanics below 40 percent of total occupancy to promote diversity and encourage white occupants in the buildings. This was still affirmative action, and white people seemed to benefit more than black people or Hispanics. However, the result was a racially diverse community, and the end result justified allowing more white tenants than black or Hispanic tenants.
Racial implicit biases are very widespread, and I think that is part of the reason why affirmative action is justified.
Having an increasingly diverse society would lessen implicit biases (unconscious biases) people have towards different races because people would be exposed to different cultures and would get to know people and move past stereotypes and misconceptions. Once we get rid of, or at least minimize, implicit biases, I think society will become more diverse and accepting. Because many people unknowingly have implicit biases towards different races, this can unintentionally affect hiring practices, friendship decisions, medical diagnosis (especially psychological), and police decisions. This is another reason why diversity needs to increase, thus justifying affirmative action.
I received a “little to no racial preference for African Americans or European Americans (I can’t remember the exact phrase- sorry)”after taking the IAT, but I had a hard time during the test just because I got used to the arrangement of the categories from the first round, so I made more mistakes because I was used to pressing a certain
letter.