Affirmative Action

            Aren't the strong foundations of this county built upon the equality of rights and opportunities? If some person, or groups of persons are disadvantaged, should they be given extra benefits to give them equal opportunities? It would seem like a grand idea to do this, wouldn't it? Well, 30 years ago, John Fitzgerald Kennedy thought so, and passed Executive Order 10925 that instated a new program called "affirmative action." This program, in a time of Civil Rights Movements and wide spread discrimination against minorities, gave these minorities a benefit over many white American citizens. This program eliminated equality while trying to make equality. The minorities were in dire need of help, but how can you cut away at the opportunities of hard working white Americans? Many white people worked hard, put in the extra effort, but couldn't get a job even though they were more qualified for the job because quotas had to be met. In present times, some places still use this system, but this is unconstitutional because it makes people discriminated on the basis of race. Affirmative action, an injustice to hard working Americans, gives opportunities to minorities over whites; this is unconstitutional and a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution which provides for equal protection under the law.
             The main purpose of affirmative action is to correct the injustices of the past by giving minorities perks now. This is noble because these people were put through much oppression during the time period when slavery was prominent in the United States. Over a hundred years later, affirmative action is supposed to correct these injustices? While trying to fix problems of the past, affirmative action only creates more problems in the present.
             In 1980, the case of Regents of the University of California v. Bakke took place and set the tone for affirmative action across the country.