racism - discrimination or prejudice based on race
discrimination - treatment or consideration based on class or category rather than individual merit
affirmative action - A policy or a program that seeks to redress past discrimination through active measures to ensure equal opportunity, as in education and employment (by discrimination of another group)
I firmly believe that all people are equal, regardless of race or sex. I also believe that discrimination on account of race or sex is wrong. I don't understand why so many people believe that it is okay to use racism and sexism to fight racism and sexism.
I readily admit that women and racial minorities are still being discriminated against - and that we all have a moral responsibility to put an end to that as best we can. But to really destroy racism, we need to think of each other not as 'black' people or 'white' people, but just people. Affirmative action isn't doing that. Instead, it reinforces the ideas that it is supposed to diminish: that it is ok to treat people based on what kind of group they fit into instead of treating them based on their personal virtues, vices, accomplishments, responsibilities and handicaps.
Proponents of affirmative action claim that we must provide special opportunities and assistance to certain groups of people because they are at an economic disadvantage compared to other groups. If this is so, what is the use in providing assistance based on race or sex? Why not provide this assistance to all people at economic disadvantage? Would this not effect the same groups of people the most - because they are more disadvantaged than most - yet do so without discrimination based on race or sex?