The Perils of Affirmative Action Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Top

The Perils of Affirmative Action    On January 16th of this year, I picked up the Washington Post and read an article by Richard Cohen that weakly criticized the lack of ethnic diversity in President Bush's new cabinet. The article was an interesting analysis of the ethnicity of Bush's cabinet, but it is even more significant as it dealt with an issue that is becoming of greater concern in this country: affirmative action. This issue has affected me in the past. I live in Northern Virginia, which is a very race-neutral area, and last year during my college application process was the first time in my life when affirmative action affected me. The applications say the race checkbox is only being used for statistical purposes, but when somebody sees these tiny little words on such a very important document, who doesn't get a nagging feeling that their future might be determined by the color of their skin? A lot of students worry about this checkbox. At the time it seems so unfair. You've worked hard for four long years, t aken the SATs twice, joined as many clubs and sports as possible, and yet that might not be enough. The issue of affirmative action is an important one, one that directly shapes our economy and our country. It influences the way people work and live, but should it? The issue of race in this country lingers while it is realistic for us as a people to get rid of it. In today's society, why should race be an issue to anyone, black or white? How can we create a country that is free from fear of the "other" race? There has been a strong pull in the last few decades to ethnically diversify the workplace, as most companies have been and still are dominated by Caucasians. The call for diversification is a big facto... ... in getting a job only pits one race against another in the job market. If nothing is done about affirmative action, then it will eventually grow to become a monstrous proponent of prejudice. What, then, should be done about affirmative action? Well, I for one believe that the idea of affirmative action has become entrenched in our minds. Diversity has become very sought-after, and not just because the government is looking over people's shoulders. Therefore any existing government affirmative action programs are not needed and should be phased out. Affirmative action won't go away. It will always be in our minds, but it will no longer be binding. Employers will no longer have to worry about race in hiring an employee, just their qualifications. Only then can we as a country truly strive for equality, and an end to the race issue that has plagued us for centuries.