There is much consternation in the mainstream media and among leftist politicians because of the Supreme Court’s recent decision to deny the use of race or ethnicity in determining one’s eligiblty for admission to college. This, in effect, was a denial of affirmative action.

Are these protests and concerns justified?

Civil rights laws were passed in an attempt to level the playing field for all citizens in our society, regardless of race, religion, or gender. Complementing these laws, Congress, the courts, and many educational and business institutions adopted a policy of affirmatve action, which was “favoring members of a disadvantaged group who currently suffer or historically have suffered from discrimination within a culture.”  Using the principal of affirmative action, blacks and members of other “disadvantaged groups” have been given preferential treatment in college admissions, jobs, etc.  This meant that the field was no longer level, and rewards were no longer merit based. The policy has led to many problems. Sometimes a superior student or more experienced job applicant has been passed over in favor of an apparently less qualified person.  On other occasions members of a “disdvantaged group” have been placed in situations where, through lack of proper education or training, they were not prepared and liable to fail.  Also, there have been instances where educational requirements or performance standards for an entire organization have been lowered to accommodate less qualified applicants.

Though everyone appreciates the intent of affirmative action policies, they have contributed to our nation’s racial divide.   When a white student or job seeker is denied equal treatment on the basis of a need to correct past wrongs, it is often difficult for that person to accept the rationale for that denial. “Two wrongs don’t make a right” is a frequent response, and that argument is certainly understandable. There are limits on what can be done to reverse past injustices. Shall we give much of our land back to the Indians?  Shall we compensate slave descendants for the labor of their slave ancestors? 

Though the leftist agitators will not admit it, it was always understood that affirmative action was meant to be a temporary measure.  As stated by the 1989 International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, “such anti-discrimination programs shall not entail the maintenance of unequal or separate rights for different racial groups after their objectives have been achieved.”

Perhaps now is the time to end these programs. The Supreme Court obviously believes so.

Even as we end affirmatve action policies in their present form, there are ways to ensure the equitable treatment of all our citizens while maintaining a system of merit based rewards. Use a little creative imagination, and it can be done.