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UNAPOLOGETIC BLACK OP-ED
How to Never Confuse Positive and Negative Racial Discrimination Again
On the Supreme Court’s debate regarding affirmative action
Last summer, the conservative-leaning Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, stripping away nearly 50 years of women’s rights. But, if you thought snubbing women would be their final coup de grâce, hold onto your seats because we’re in for a rocky ride. After all, America was founded for and by White men, leaving the rest of us, racial minorities and women, no choice but to fight for inclusion and the long-sought-after mirage of equity. In furtherance of that cause, President John F. Kennedy signed an executive order in 1961 to “take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin.” The policy also required “racial fairness in employment funded by the federal government.”
Contrary to popular belief, affirmative action policies in America do not permit the use of quotas, where employers or universities have to maintain a certain number of Black or Hispanic people on their roster to stay compliant. Instead, affirmative action policies encourage decision-makers to consider race alongside merit-based qualifications. By…
