Being recognized for what you can contribute, your personality traits, personal strengths, accomplishments, and values is an award that is immeasurable. When that is taken away from you, and you have to ask “Was I the best candidate for the job or was a filling a quota?” makes that victory a little less sweet. Evening the playing field was what affirmative action was meant to do. As an African American Woman I understand why this policy was needed during the times of the Civil Rights movement. In today’s society I feel that it is an unfair practice to all parties involved.
The initial purpose of these affirmative action programs were to overcome the effects of past societal discrimination by rationing jobs and resources to members of specific groups, such as minorities and women. Since that time this issue has been a very controversial one. I feel that although I may have benefited at times from affirmative action, it is offensive. I have always been a very smart and hard working individual. I want to be recognized for my qualifications and accomplishments. I do not want to be handed a job simply because a company needs to fill a quota. I strongly believe that if there was a person more qualified for a position than I, they should have that position. It is neither fair to me nor that other person if I was to get that job over them simply because I am a woman or because I am of minority descent.
It is an insult to imply that without affirmative action minorities could not have had the opportunity to get into jobs that were once thought to be for only white males. History proves this is not the case. A few examples of this; Frederick Douglass, 1874 Becomes president of the Freedman's Savings and Trust Company, 1877 Becomes U.S. Marshal, 1880 Appointed recorder of deeds for Washington, D.C. (Thomas, Chronology), George Washington Carver, 1896 he became director of the Dept. of Agricultural Research at what is now Tuskegee University (Idea Finder, Milestones),...