(5) Affirmative Action for + against

(5) Affirmative Action for + against

1. Against

   • Housing
     • Richer African Americans moving to the suburbs has made the ghettoes even poor (as they pay more taxes)
       • Poor health care, poor schools, growth of substance abuse and increased violence.
   • Employment
     • If AA lose job suffer dramatic decline in their standard of living
     • The Growth in Serivce jobs has meant that people are working part time, minimal employment benefits (have to have many jobs to have enough)
     • Some employers don't consider applicant from certain district even thought they have skills
       • 50% of people in parts of New York and Chicago are unemployed
       • Unemployment in poor black areas twice as high
     • Next Generation, simply not qualified and opportunities
   • Education
     • Black Campaigners argue for improved funding and facility for schools in deprived areas
     • Alternative programmes
       • Harlem Children's Zone in New York City - children living below the poverty line will only succeed if a range of family needs are addressed.
         • Guidance for younge mothers
         • Relationship counselling to nurture stable families
         • After school class and summer activities
   • Criminal justice
     • Poor black communites seen rise in drug use and trade same time as harsh penalties for drug offenses
       • The result: 1 in 3 blacks men and 1 in 8 black women have been in jail at some point
     • Alternative programmes
       • Extra-curricular activities for children to substance-abuse support
   • Firstly
     • Advantage for one group lead inevitably to disadvantage for another group
       • Bernie Richter: "When you deny someone who has earned it and give it to someone else who has not earned it... you create anger and resentment,"
   • Secondly
     • It can lead minorities to be admitted to courses or given jobs with which they are ill-equipped to cope.
       • Richard Sander found putting black students into classes with white students who had higher SAT scores and college grades resulted in "close to half of black students ending up in the bottom tenth of their classes."
   • Thirdly
     • It can be condescending to minorities by implying that they need a helping hand in order to succeed - demeaning their achievement
   • Fouthly
     • It perpetuates a society based on colour and race, thereby encouraging prejudice.
   • Fifthly
     • It is no more than a quota system under another name
   • Finally
     • It focuses on groups rather than individuals
       • David Mckay: "Affirmative action is inherently problematic because it involes a clash between the liberal notion of what the individual is worth and the collective interests of a group or race."
       • On the Election day 2008 Marian Edelman, we are "voting for a presdient based on the content of his character rather than the colout of his skin."
       • Richard Kahlenberg 2008 "This election was a stunning triumph for the notion of colour-blindness: don't discriminate against people of colour - or in favour of them."
   • All groups have faced challenges to arrive in American - though persona hardwork they made it NOT AA
   • AA Creates
     • Lazy citizens
     • Unrealist expections - illequipped to cope with demands
     • AA beneficiaries don't owe success to ability or hardwork but "preferential treatment"
   • No longer justified
     • Siginicant number of African Americans have benefits but they can stll benefits even if other races are struggling
     • AA did not help intergration. Black move to suburbs, some whites move into other suburbs away from the edge of cities
       • Creating wealth black Suburb Gethos
     • Moderates argue for AA to be provided to poor people not just minorites
   • New Republic article (2000)
     • by Orlando Paterson ‘Race is over’ – claims African-Americans have made huge strides since 1970s and so race is no longer relevant
   • "Model Minorities"
     • Asian and Middle-Eastern minorities have achieved well in education, employment and political spheres – some (very!) conservative commentators say that America isn’t ‘institutionally racist’; African-American culture is the problem! The root of the issue lies within the minority itself.
   • Stephen and abigial Thernstrom " No Excuses" (2003)
     • argue that the main issues are not race but African-American and Latino Culture – use educational success of other minorities. They argue that African-Americans have become lazy and welfare-dependent because of Affirmative Action.
     • Undermines meritocracy - encourahes AA to be lazy

2. For

   • Housing
     • Individual can not take on health care inequality only government can do this (poor district poor health care, rich district rich health care)
     • Since the 1968 Fair Housing Act, a steady flow of AAs out of city into the suburbs
   • Employment
     • In 1960 on 15 of AA worked White collar jobs, by 2002 almost 70% work in white collar jobs
     • Advocates of Affirmative Action argue
       • increase in minimum wage (had not increased from 1994 to 2006)
       • Boost tax credits for poor paid workers
       • Strength the legislation, so it can benefit all poor Americans
   • Politics
     • In 1970, 10 AA in Congress, by 2008 42 (All Dem)
   • Education
     • AA completing high school rose from 39% in 1960 to 86.8% in 2000
     • AA with a Degree was 15.5% in 1970 now 43%
     • Advocates of Affirmative Action argue
       • For increased resources in deprived district for local schools
   • Criminal Justice
     • Activists call for:
       • Policy changes to give non-violent offenders a second chance
         • Greater use of drug courts to allow for the option of supervised treatment for addicts
         • Reform of the "three strikes" (life imprisonment for 3 offences) law for only violent and sexual crimes
         • Rehabilitation programmes in prisions
   • Firstly
     • Leads to greater levels of diversity
   • Secondly
     • It is justified on the basis that it right the previous wrongs
   • Thirdly
     • In Education, a diverse student body creates tolerance
   • Fifthly
     • It is the most meaningful and effective way to deliver the promise of equal opportunity
   • Finally
     • Between 1960 and 1995, black people aged 25-29 graducated from university rose from 5% to 15%. Clinton "affirmative action has been good for America".