Affirmative Action, The Pernicious Legacy of Racism

Racism is defined as "a belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. This idea has taken many forms in American history, including slavery: Jim Crow laws, Black Codes, eugenics, and, yes, affirmative action. Regardless of the euphemism you use, all of these policies are based on the idea that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities.

Racism, both systemic and societal, has been a problem in this country for centuries. In many ways, it was societal racism, the general belief in the inferiority of certain races, that led to many of the racist laws or systemic racism. To me, this leads to a Catch-22. How do you get rid of one without getting rid of the other?

While we have gotten rid of many of the racist laws in our country, racist ideas are still around, and they have led to other racist laws. One of those ideas is that a racially diverse student body or workforce is automatically better. Another is the idea that minorities cannot compete in higher education, and many other institutions, without the government’s help. Put these two ideas together, and you get affirmative action.

We'll explore the recent court rulings and the consequences of these decisions. Read the full article... watch and learn from Constitutional Expert Paul Engel; there is always much more to learn back at America Out Loud: https://americaoutloud.com.