White citizens are aware that society has demonstrated little interest in them as a group, but they think of themselves as though they are the only group being ignored. This is a false assumption. Ironically, many minority groups are also being ignored. Second-generation immigrants, for example, who come from hard-working backgrounds that have allowed them to successfully assimilate, are being overlooked. Since immigrants and their generations are not African-American or Hispanic, we are not recognized as disadvantaged. The likelihood that the government will make concessions to all minority groups is small. Equality can be achieved without simply giving away rewards to people who have not earned them. Special treatment will undoubtedly develop dependency. By lowering the standards for African-Americans and Hispanics, affirmative action programs cast minorities as inferior. No matter how competent or hard working they may be, others will view their success as the product of affirmative action and not of skill.
Instead of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision of a society in which children will be judged on the content of their character and not the color of their skin, reverse discrimination is occurring. I understand certain preferences that allow past injustices to be corrected, but quotas and reverse discrimination should be illegal. Since it is nearly impossible to distinguish between preference and reverse discrimination, I believe no preferences should be allowed. The government has institutionalized racism and sexism on a huge scale. It seems as though civil rights laws are not passed to give civil rights to all Americans, instead only to "disfavored groups." Distinction between citizens solely because of their ancestry challenges the ideal of a free people whose society is founded on equality. Conditions of individuals in society will always vary greatly, because individuals are born with different talents and interests.