Affirmative Action

            Taking a stance on affirmative action, or even trying to accurately define it is similar to declaring a religion. As many people have very strong views for and against affirmative action, it is a touchy subject. Affirmative action analyses determine whether employment practices result in a diverse applicant pool. Throughout the history of the United States of America the intense and controversial view of "equality" has been a hot topic. With that in mind, our founding fathers of this great country set forth the three theories of what every citizen should be entitled to; freedom, order and equality. Their perception of what equality meant has taken on many different definitions as we as a society have evolved and changed. Affirmative action is defined as a tool to monitor the consequences of employment practices, and makes no real contribution to equality or racial acceptance in America. .
             In 1964 after this term was coined, the Civil Rights Act increased the authority of affirmative action agents to institute quotas and preferential hiring to increase representation of minorities and to ameliorate discrimination. It not only prohibited discrimination on grounds of race, age, religion, and national origin but also on grounds of sex. Although affirmative action in the Civil Rights Act outlawed discrimination within minority groups involving employment, it did not cover educational institutions. Consequently, the Equal Employment Act forced colleges and universities to admit members of minorities in greater numbers, especially in professional and graduate schools. The government recognized that educational opportunities to be as significant as those relating to employment. .
             Affirmative Action has increasingly become the subject of debate and tension in American society. However, the debate has become entangled in silly arguments of equality of opportunity versus the equality of results.