Affirmative Action

            Affirmative action has been a major source of debate since the Supreme Court ruled in favor of it in 1978. That year the court stated that law would allow universities and colleges to give preferential treatment to selected minorities in order to achieve "diversity" (qtd. in Will). This issue was brought before the Supreme Court again in 2003. The court upheld the decision made twenty five years ago despite societal changes that have occurred since the first trial. This ruling has stirred up many questions concerning diversity, race and equality, which George Will wrote about for the Washington Post in a publication called Crude Remedy for A Disappearing Problem. .
             In order to create diversity, colleges and universities, such as Michigan, have created an admission policy of awarding extra points to members of a "preferred" ethnic group. Not all minorities are "preferred", for example, "Michigan [only awards extra admission points to] Hispanics, African Americans and Native Americans." I believe that if the idea of affirmative action is going to take place at all, then all minorities should be included not just the largest minorities. Actually, the smallest of minorities should get the privilege of extra admission points before the largest due to the fact that they are overwhelmingly out numbered. As Will mentions, maybe Michigan does not believe that smaller ethnic groups will "contribute "diversity" that is useful to the educational experience" or that they "can earn admission in sufficient numbers to make preferential treatment unnecessary." If the latter is the case then Michigan is "regard[ing people of the largest minorities] as handicapped" or needy of assistance. I don't honestly think that these people are handicapped in the eyes of Michigan's administration, rather, I believe that Michigan uses affirmative action as a way to meet a predetermined quota for these favored races.