Is Obama’s Nomination Hurting Affirmative Action?
Written by: Kim Sawyer
Affirmative action has always been and will always be a hot topic. People either love it or hate it. I don’t think there is a medium. Unfortunately and whether people want to admit it, race is still a prevalent factor in how people are treated in America. And although race relations in America are much better than they were, let’s say 40 or 50 years ago, we, as Americans still have a long ways to go. Hence, the reason I believe affirmative action is still very much important in our society. Of course, there are so many people who disagree with me. For example, in 2006, the Supreme Court ruled against affirmative action in Parents v. Seattle and Meredith v. Jefferson. In these two cases, the Supreme Court was bitterly divided and ruled 5–4 that programs in Seattle and Louisville, Ky., which tried to maintain diversity in schools by considering race when assigning students to schools, are unconstitutional.
Now, I know you’re wondering how this relate to Obama’s nomination. Yesterday, I was reading an article on cnn.com. Here’s an excerpt from that article, “Barack Obama’s political success might claim an unintended victim: affirmative action, a much-debated policy he supports. Already weakened by several court rulings and state referendums, affirmative action now confronts a challenge to its very reason for existing. If Americans make a black person the leading contender for president, as nationwide polls suggest, how can racial prejudice be so prevalent and potent that it justifies special efforts to place minorities in coveted jobs and schools? “The primary rationale for affirmative action is that America is institutionally racist and institutionally sexist,” said Ward Connerly, the leader of state-by-state efforts to end what he and others consider policies of reverse discrimination. “That rationale is undercut in a major way when you look at the success of Senator Clinton and Senator Obama.” Other critics of affirmative action agree. “Obama is further evidence that the great majority of Americans reject discrimination, reject prejudice,” said Todd F. Gaziano, a scholar at the conservative Heritage Foundation and a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.” To read the entire article, click here: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/06/28/affirmative-action-hurt-by-obamas-success/
I think the people who believe Obama’s nomination is proof that affirmative action is no longer needed are out of touch with reality. Even though Obama won the nomination, he hasn’t won the race yet. Not to mention that there are many people who say they will not vote for Obama simply because he is a Black man. The people who are for Obama are looking for a change and believe Obama is the man to bring that change about. Simply put, the people for Obama are not just for him because of his race.
What are your thoughts on this subject? Do you think Obama’s nomination is hurting affirmative action? Or will his nomination help affirmative action? I wold love to hear your comments/thoughts…….
Tags: Barack Obama, politics
June 30th, 2008 at 10:11 am
uNTIL THE OLDER WHITES AND BLACKS DIE WE AIN’T GONN A MAKE NO REAL PROCESS. BOTH SIDES HATE EACH OTHER TOO MUCH. IN ANOTHER 50 YEARS THIS COUNTRY WILL BE SO INBRED THAT IT WON’T MATTER.
I’LL TELL YOU MY OPINION OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION. I AFFIRM THAT I’M GONNA MARRY ME A WHITE WOMAN. BLOND, BLUE EYES WITH A J LOW BOOTY. JUST LIKE MY BROTHER O.J. AND HAVE ME SUM PRETTY LITTLE KIDS WHO LOOK LIKE THE ROCK AND TONI BRACKSON….
AFFIRMATION ACTION DONE HELPED A LOT OF BROTHERS GET A WHITE WOMAN. IT WAS PAST OF THE PACKAGE CAUSE ONCE WE WAS ABLE TO GET WHITE COLLAR JOBS WE WAS ABLE TO GET WHITE WOMEN. I WAS TLAKING TO ONE OF MY FRIENDS ABOUT THIS THE OTHER DAY AND HE WAS SAYING HOW GETTING A JOB AT THE BANK HELPED HIM MEET HIS WIFE. (SHE WHITE YA’LL)
I THINK OBAMA HAS MADE BEING BLACK ENVOGUE. WE’S IN DA HOUZE FROM NOW ON. THEY GOTS TO ACCEPT US FROM NOW ON CAUSE SHURE NUFF THE NEXT PREZ’S GONNA BE A ….(ANYBODY REMEMBER THE MOVIE “BLAZING SADDLES WITH” CLEVON LITTLE AS THE SHERIFF?)
THAT RIGH I SAID THE NEXT PREZ IS GONNA BE A …..
AFFIRMATION ACTION IS WORKING. MAYBE NOT AS FAST AS SOME WOULD LIKE BUT THINGS ARE SLOWLY CHANGING. DO WE NEED MORE ACTION? PROBABLY. BUT WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS MORE BLACKS STAYING IN SCHOOOL AND GOING TO COLLEGE…PEOPLES LIKE ME. I’M EDJUMACATED. HIGHEST ONE IN MY FAMILY… WELL MAYBE NOT CAUSE WE GOTS SUM LAWYERS AND STUFF COMING IN 2012.
July 4th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Whew!!! Moving on…
I just moved from Indiana to Georgia. Not only am I now in a state with more blacks, I am in a city filled with the military; translation: every nationality you can think of! No longer am I in an environment of blacks and whites only! One of my neighbors is Puerto Rican, one is Japanese, one is Hawaiian, etc. I love it! I am amazed at how comfortable I feel in this environment. At my new job, on post, I work in a building with probably 100 – 120 people. The percentage of blacks to others is about 55%! Imagine that! I just came from a job in Indiana where there was 90 people. Three were black. The rest were white. Now imagine that. 2008!
I understand both sides. I understand the question of the need to continue Affirmative Action when Obama is elected. (yes I said “when”) But… we have had to deal with slavery, discrimination, segregation, and all the issues leading up to AA for so much longer than the time we have had to enjoy AA. I hope we let it ride for a long time even after Obama takes oath! It’s only fair.
July 5th, 2008 at 12:56 am
I missed this educational post from John, but I have to agree with the message. Stop affirmative action now and the people who are still in charge will just stop doing what it forces them to. There are still good old boys in high-ranking positions who would just as soon NOT hire someone of color given the chance.
What John says about marrying a white woman is interesting because it still brings stares and comments. We will probably be dead and gone before people just marry people, but that will be a happy day.
July 7th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Tom you need to make sure that you attend class when I’m teaching boy, otherwise you gonna end as dumb as a box of rocks….abig box…
Now you know good and well that most black men like white women. Even some of the black panthers had white women. A lot of these young brothers got one and I wouldn’t be surprised Tom if one of your nephews or cousins didn’t come home with one…….
From what I been heard black women are just too difficult to handle……..