Research Paper On Affirmative Action Final

Submitted By NarlochKL11
Words: 3628
Pages: 15

Affirmative Action
Katie Narloch, Tyler Young, Josh Barr, Aaron Broadwater
University of Wisconsin Whitewater

Abstract The objective of this paper is to inform readers on the topic of Affirmative Action. This paper will explore the history, importance, supporters and critics, organizational roles, and connections of affirmative action. Affirmative action is a controversial and often poorly understood topic. Affirmative Action is a policy that emphasizes a particular attention on jobs and higher education opportunities for minorities and women. The policy is also intended to decline the level of discrimination among minorities. Affirmative action has had success, but has been debated whether there is a reason for the policy. The methods that were used to conduct this paper include extensive research on the topic using the internet and other scholarly sources. Without Affirmative action the nation would be segregated, white people having opportunity and authority while minorities and women would be limited.

According to our Declaration of Independence it states that we all as humans have the right to, “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” These things are utilized to insure that equality is obtained by all. Although this was written in a very formal and universal manor it’s easy to see that further steps are needed to ensure these things are implemented in our society. An action or policy favoring those who tend to suffer from discrimination, esp. in relation to employment or education is the definition of Affirmative Action (Affirmative Action,1). Affirmative action has a deep historical presence which gives insight on why it needed to be created in order to bridge the gap between those who receive “white privilege” and the minorities. Due to our society being extremely one sided at a point in our history Affirmative action was used in order to help those negatively affected and where not able to receive the things that our declaration of independence specifically pointed out.
Our country has experienced a great number of negative setbacks that has prolonged the growth of our society as a whole. Due to the Civil rights movement in the 1960’s it forced our society as a whole to see the lop-sided distribution of fairness based upon color and gender. Many were negatively affected and lost out on opportunities that were greatly missed by the people and their families. According to the Affirmative action overview President Kennedy saw that equal opportunities were not provided for minority groups in education and the work place, and this is the reason why he decided to implement Affirmative Action. This is validated by the information received from the source Affirmative action overview:
“In 1961, President Kennedy was the first to use the term "affirmative action" in an Executive Order that directed government contractors to take "affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin." The Executive Order also established the President’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity, now known as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).” He directed government contractors to take “affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed and those employees are treated during employment with regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin” (Affirmative action, 1). Originally, women weren’t included in legislation to level the playing field in education and employment. Expanding on President Kennedy’s order, Lyndon B. Johnson later In 1967, amended this, and a subsequent measure included sex, recognizing that women also faced many discriminatory barriers and hurdles to equal opportunity (kohn, 2) Our history shows that without guide lines one side of society is favored over the other. Although minorities make up more of the people in society and