absolutely not. by it's very nature it asks employers to be racist in their hiring decisions instead of color-blind. 2 wrongs do not make a right.

In it's place, and time, affirmative action was a necessary thing. Now, however, I feel most have outgrown it and may be using it to exploit rather than to help.

I just left a job in which the quote was made, "we will do everything we can to see that a minority is placed in a position first." To that, they stood true, thereby creating a new minority in their company... white middle class. I was passed up for promotion on several occasions so that lesser qualified minorities could be placed in positions ahead of me. One supervisor even had the audacity to flash her breasts to students and staff while on duty, and still remains employed because she is originally from Nigeria.

If used to give a hand up to those who are in need of help, affirmative action can be a good thing. But when the idea of affirmative action is adulterated to create new minority classes, it is wrong. The intention is to give all, equally qualified individuals an EQUAL opportunity for advancement. If we all agree to hire the best qualified human, affirmative action has no purpose.

weston

Absolutely, if a discriminatory,all-white contracting firm takes a federal contract with the conditon that affirmative action be taken to hire blacks, then the contracting firm must NOT ONLY stop discriminating against blacks when hiring but must also take additional steps to make sure that more blacks are hired. If affirmative action is the only way to stop racism, then let there be affirmative action. Maybe God should have made us color blind. Let there be peace. VLK

No, I believe it should be based on each individuals own merit, completely disregarding race, gender, etc