Affirmative Action

When you give someone more rights you aren't diminishing your own, although in some instances you might be losing an unfair advantage.

I was reading an account of a black man who got into and did well in an elite college.  While he was there he was frequently (at lest it would seem frequently) accused of stealing a more deserving persons place because of affirmative action.

While it was unclear if affirmative action played any role in his admission, for the sake of argument lets say it did.  Would he then have denied a more deserving person a place at that school?

Well more deserving isn't clear since any differences in their entrance qualifications could have been negated by the degree of difficulty they each faced.  If the objective is to admit the most qualified students, admitting one who has demonstrated the ability to succeed in very difficult circumstances over one who was marginal in the best circumstances is not unfair.

These schools are looking for students who can excel and succeed in life.  Evaluating the background and hardships faced is certainly a factor, as it is in all admissions (except those bought illegally or legally).

It is of course a measurable thing, since the students who get admitted to these schools don't all graduate.  It turns out that the differences between affirmative action and non-affirmative action graduation rates is statistically insignificant.  So they do belong and they do succeed.

It should also be noted that these schools have far more qualified applicants than slots.  If you fail to get in it is because of everyone who got a slot, not just a black student.

Obstacles faced by applicants is a legitimate qualification and if someone faced with a lot more obstacles has a harder time getting to the finish line, he/she may still be a better.

Eliminate the obstacles if you want a level playing field.