One Woman's View of Affirmative Action - Because I Am a Woman

With the very mention of Affirmative Action heads turn, ears perk up and people really begin to listen to what you have to say. Few actions by our government have ever generated as much attention or controversy as the Affirmative Action Laws. However, a person has to question the relevance of these laws in the society of today. I know, many will expect that they are about to be submerged in the typical opposition paper for Affirmative Action, and few will have the fortitude to continue reading and actually think about the viewpoint about to be expressed. However, for those who do have that fortitude let me tell you who I am. I am a Caucasian woman, who was raised by a family far below the economic "normal" range. As a matter of fact, I lived in a very rural area, and my childhood was spent with my family on some type of public assistance or another, and while my community was made up mainly by Caucasians to be on public assistance was more normal for our area than it was to not need the public assistance. Now, that being said let's discuss the effects of Affirmative Action and why I am opposed to it's continued use.

First, let me say that there was a time in this country when Affirmative Action was needed to create an environment that was friendly to people of all races, religion, creeds and sexual orientations. A time when the idea of anyone other than a white male attaining an education or holding a public job was preposterous, however that time has passed. I am by no means delusional to the point of saying that racism or sexism no longer exist, I am simply stating that civil rights and equal opportunity movements have succeeded to the point of making the people who harbor these feelings the minority now, not the majority. At this point in time, I would like to see all people judged on the basis of who they are, what they stand for and what abilities they possess and not make it about their color, religious beliefs or sexual orientation.