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Ron Jackson's Perspective
The Sunday Journal -
Think
Kankakee, Illinois
February 2, 2003
Affirmative Action
an unfair edge |
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What if we had recently
learned that in order to improve an underrepresented part of its
student-athletic body, a public university gave performance
enhancing drugs to its white athletes to better compete against
black athletes? I believe we would have a collective fit.
Then why are we all not completely behind President Bush in his challenge of the
University of Michigan’s affirmative action/admissions policy that
awards Black and Hispanic applicants 20 points based solely on race?
Affirmative Action is the anabolic steroid of our
society. I see no difference in the use of illegal anabolic
steroids to gain an unfair physical advantage and the application of
affirmative action to give an unfair advantage to student applicants
or job applicants in the workforce. Non medicinal use of
steroids is illegal for two very good reasons: they give the user an
edge over the hard working nonuser; they are detrimental to the
user’s long term health. Affirmative action should be illegal
for the same two reasons: it gives the beneficiary an unfair
advantage over hard working people who are not eligible for
affirmative action; it is detrimental to the long term health of our
society.
On the eve of Black History Month, President Bush has
taken a remarkable step. I am officially regarding him a great
black leader and nominating him for any Black “Man of the Year”
award. Reading what he said in his challenge to the University of
Michigan’s admissions policy was inspiring.
Speaking of the policy, the President said, “But the
method used by the University of Michigan to achieve this important
goal is fundamentally flawed.” He added, “The Michigan program
amounts to a quota system that unfairly rewards or penalizes
prospective students solely on their race.”
I agree.
Sounding more like a true civil rights champion than
anyone in the past 30 years, the President made this challenge on
the birth date of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was adamantly
opposed to opportunity based on race alone. Bush spoke to the
nation, but I suspect there was a certain segment of our society
that benefited more than any other, young people. Especially
young minorities with a dream of going to college.
When the President said it was wrong for Michigan to
award minority applicants 20 point, or one-fifth the total
admissions points based on race, he made a profound statement that
has been lost in all the race baiting hoopla.
Imagine being a college bound minority student and
hearing your President say something to the effect that you are just
as good as any other applicant, or hearing him say that you don’t
need any extra points because with hard work you can compete with
anyone. No truer, or more empowering words have been directed
to minority youth since Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream speech.
Contrary to popular exploitation, King’s dream wasn’t a black dream.
It was an American dream.
Wouldn’t hearing the leader of the most powerful nation
on earth telling you that you are 100% as good as the next student
be more inspiring and convincing than hearing some self- proclaimed
black leader screaming that you are only four-fifths of a college
applicant or that you need a “hookup”?
I can hear it now, Jesse Jackson leading a group of
Michigan college applicants in a chant, “I am somebody.” Make
that, “I am 4/5ths somebody.”
The President has raised the confidence of our minority
youth and has issued a challenge to the long term social health of
this country.
If he doesn’t receive a nomination for at least one
minority award, something is flawed.
Black History Month is coming. We will hear
thousands of stories of black achievement that didn’t require
affirmative action or extra points. |
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