Affirmative Action & Group Dialogue

Thinking about our class discussion this past week, it makes me really sad to realize that that session was our last class discussion. I have really enjoyed the open atmosphere that our class has on the topic of racism. I felt that my opinion varied from the class as a whole, but I felt like my opinions were still respected.

I thought Steele had brought up some good points in his article: shocking statistics that show that affirmative action isn't working (the income gap - for every $1.00 the White American family earns, a Latino family earns $0.12, and a Black family earns $0.10. Or the fact that only 26% of Black students are graduating from a four year college in SIX years compared to the national average of 54% graduating in FOUR years).

Affirmative action isn't working, and we really need to focus on our failing education system.

But part of my stance that I made in my paper changed since our class discussion. Steele argued that affirmative action may cause lower self esteem in those receiving special treatment. Upon reading this article - I agreed with this statement. But then I read Kivel (after I finished my paper).

He forced me to think about putting myself in a similar position:
Have I ever received something based on the fact that (I'll use personal examples):
1. My father is a Vietnam Veteran (I've probably received something because of this)
2. My mother is a University of Illinois alum (I was accepted there - maybe that's why I got in?)
3. I am a Wesleyan student (my boss at the hospital is an IWU alum)
4. I am a female (maybe that helped me get into college?)

I could go on. But do I feel like I didn't deserve some of these things? Did I even think that the reason I got accepted to a university or for a job was because of one of these things? No. I felt like I deserved it. And my self-esteem was not harmed in the process. So, putting myself into this perspective makes me disagree with Steele's opinion on this section.

I really appreciate how a single group discussion can give different insights to an opinion other than your own. Discussing topics, such as racism and affirmative action, with other people can really allow you to branch out and think in different ways. I'm really going to miss this class.

But, I think I am more comfortable bringing up this topic with others since I have had the dialogue that we had in this class. I'm getting to nostalgic. I'm finished.