Barack Obama & Affirmative Action

The election of Barack Obama marks a revolutionary bound in the United States’ concept of equality, however, much like all monumental occasions, it is prone to generating controversy. In this case, I speak of the notion of affirmative action. The acceptance of a black president has raised the question of whether or not affirmative action is even necessary any more. Although the newly elected president has caused many to find affirmative action unnecessary, I believe it should still remain as an important integration in society. The very purpose of civil reparations is to atone for the past and present discriminations, both intentional and unintentional. With 74% of the population being of Caucasian descent, harm has and is bound to occur upon other ethnicities. Affirmative action is an attempt to negate the damages caused by the offenses and just because one minority has success I do not see it as a sign to forget it.

My wanting to keep affirmative action is primarily motivated by several opinions.
It is evident that this single minority has found success but that does not mean that others have necessarily recuperated from the past. One man is not a representative of his entire skin color and many are still affected by discrimination. Historically speaking, the past offenses have given many minorities and communities an unfair start in this country which explains why Caucasians have been able to secure the majority of economic power. I believe it would be premature to assume that one’s race is in adequate condition just because of a single member’s success. The majority of government positions are still held by whites, affirmative action is merely a means of leveling things for other races. In addition, Obama’s election showed that a minority can be elected, but under what conditions? It’s possible that he could have had to work much harder than the average white man in order to get to his position. The 43 white presidents are a testament to how unequal this country has been in the past and now the thought of removing the few benefits minorities are offered seems to go against the philosophies this country was built upon.