Opportunities of Character, not Color. Arguments for and against Affirmative Action

Created in the 1960's, affirmative action programs attempted to undo past racial discrimination by giving preference to blacks and other minorities. The idea behind these programs was to help minorities gain the representation in the job market that paralleled their percentage of the population (Finley 1). Unfortunately, affirmative action has mutated into a thirty-year-old policy that places many underqualified minorities in positions over more qualified non-minorities. Preferential treatment of minorities has caused problems not only in the workplace, but also in our universities throughout the country. Due to these current circumstances, affirmative action policies in college admissions must be eliminated because of the negative effects they have on campuses across the nation.
There are numerous arguments that defend the use of affirmative action and advocate its effect on college campuses. Supporters of affirmative action believe that minorities are still disadvantaged and that it is 'absolutely necessary to level the playing field' (Wilkins 334). They believe that minorities will never be given a fair chance at college unless diversity is forced upon the campus. …