Affirmative Action, is a very controversial topic, in our society, and has been for more than 30 years. Affirmative Action, is giving someone preference treatment, based on his or her race, class, gender, religion, ethnicity or age. The U.S. Supreme Court, however, has pointed out that, affirmative action programs, are likely to be constitutional if they:

(a) are adopted in response to a past history of discrimination.

(b) are narrowly tailored to remedy, the effects of previous discrimination.

(c) do not absolutely, bar whites or men from competing or participating.

(d) serve an important social and educational objective.

The gospel case for affirmative action, was the Bakke decision, handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court, back in 1978, struck down racial quotas, at the University of California, at Davis. Many people applauded, this decision by the Supreme Court, because so many of them felt that affirmative action was, and still is today, reverse discrimination. However, the question, that I would like to raise, is that, “can we have a society, in which there is no preferential treatment’ ?  I truly, do not believe so. In fact, I would argue, that Affirmative Action, has always existed in American politics, but certain folks, started getting upset, when they thought people of color were benefiting from it. If affirmative action is giving some one preferential treatment, because of his or her race, class, gender, religion, ethnicity, or age, then preferential treatment has been the way of life  in our society, way before the topic of Affirmative Action, exacerbated, on the political scene in American politics, and, in some cases, this preferential treatment, has overlapped to include certain occupations.  For example, police officers, at most restaurants, either eat,  half price or get their meals free. This is preferential treatment.  When, night clubs, let ladies, get in free, that is preferential treatment. When kids go to some establishments, such as the movies, or restaurants, they get services, either half price or free. This is preferential treatment. When senior citizens, get discounts, at different businesses or organizations, this is affirmative action, or preferential treatment. How about tax breaks, for corporations? Is this not preferential treatment?  These, are only a few elementary examples, of how affirmative action, has been highly embedded in America’s, political culture.  There is probably, no society on planet earth, in which someone is not getting, some type of preferential treatment.  Years ago, Professor Andrew Hacker, wrote a book, entitled, “ Two Nations: One Black and One White”, and in one part of his book, he asked white Americans, did they feel that affirmative action, was still needed, and many of them said no, because, they felt that blacks and whites were equal, and, that there was no longer any need for affirmative action. Then Professor Andrew Hacker, asked the same white Americans, “what if I told you, that you were an experiment, like a Ginny pig, and that in 24 hours, you would turn black, how much money would you need to be compensated for such actions? “  Not one white person, asked for less than 50 million dollars. Professor Andrew Hacker, asked them, why did  they asked for so many millions, and, they told him, that they needed that much money, to live comfortable, because they would face so much discrimination being black.  Now notice, the same whites, who said that affirmative action, was no longer needed, and, that blacks and whites were equal, when they thought that they were going to be black, they changed their tune. In other words, whites may give a lot of lip service, about equality of the races, but, as Professor Andrew Hacker, pointed out, whites understand the privilege, of their white skin, and, by the way, Professor Andrew Hacker is a white male.

At times when I go shopping, I sometimes find it very difficult, to find a parking spot, but, then I will notice, that the handicap, parking areas, seem to always, be available. Therefore, I will find myself thinking, ” the handicaps get all the parking spaces”,  but, deep down in my heart, I know a person in a wheelchair, or who is physically disable, does not have the same freedoms, or opportunities that I have, being healthy, and, able to walk around. I may give lip service, about handicaps, get all the parking spaces, but, I would not want to trade positions with a disabled person.  Just as I know that a handicap person, does not have the same opportunties, that I have, being able to walk around, white Americans, deep down in their hearts, know that a black person, or any other person of color for that matter, does not have the same opportunties, as they do, and, I don’t care if Barack Obama, is the first African American President, of the United States.

 The Bowtie Professor Speaks!

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