Analysis of the Arguments for and against Affirmative Action

For nearly a century in our country's history white plantation owners used the slave labor of black Africans, treating these people more like animals or property than like human beings. After the abolition of this practice, blacks continued to be treated like second-rate citizens. Falling victim to racial discrimination, they were denied equal opportunities readily available to their white counterparts. Today we face problems due to this discrimination and it's effects on the black community. One solution to the problem of past discrimination and racial inequality has been to take "Affirmative Action" with regard to minority races in America, enforcing certain levels of opportunity mandated for minority groups, most notably black African Americans. McKenna and Feingold's "Taking Sides" dedicates a section to this debate of whether or not affirmative action advances racial equality. Two individuals, Ms. Berry and Ms. Chavez, take differing sides. Ms. Berry contends that due to such a disadvantaged past blacks need affirmative action. Ms. Chavez claims racial preferences like affirmative action are merely superficial and erode real minority success.…