Affirmative Action and the Civil Rights & Liberties

Affirmative action in the United States is an active effort to improve employment opportunity for

members of minority groups and women. It was undertaken by government to help improve the effects

of past discrimination on these groups. It consists of different programs for minorities and women.

President Lyndon Johnson called it "the next and the more profound state of civil rights." He wanted the

people to believe in not only equality as a theory but also as a fact and result. Johnson showed that

many of the Blacks were being attacked and he wanted to strengthen them again. The issue going on

then had been The Brown case on school segregation. Johnson felt that they needed to reach "equality

as a result." He wanted to improve black and white civil rights legislation. Johnson had become one of

the fathers of affirmative action. People For The American Way's Commitment To Civil Rights they have

a commitment to Civil Rights. They have defended affirmative action and wanted more diversity on the

bench. They have worked on Registration Acts, Civil Rights act of 1991, Gate Crimes Statistics Act of

1990, and the Civil Rights restoration Act of 1988.

Many people who disapprove of affirmative action feel that the way to solve the race problem is by

improving schools that black children attend. In an eighteen year old desegregation case Missouri v. Jenkins.

The Supreme Court ruled that desegregation in Kansas City public school system were to much to desegregate

the schools. In this case Supreme Court said that the federal judge had Missouri take more money on black

Kansas City School system so these schools could look more "attractive to white students in suburban districts."

The Court ruled that the Judge ruled wrong on the case when he had money given to these schools. Affirmative

action supporters may say that race is the factor but that only qualified people can be benefited. Higher education

discriminatory admissions policies against blacks with only certain schools dropping their policies after the Civil

Rights Act of 1964. The Act's primary purpose was to end segregation and to help black people have full

participation in all issues, activities and feel economically whole. The Labor Department helping by increasing

the to hire more minorities and women. At this time a group of senators tried to amend that the 1964 act outlawed

discrimination both against and for minorities. Their amendment was easily defeated. Supreme Court Justice

Clarence Thomas felt that there was no reason to integrate public schools. "They had to be integrated because

they were segregated." That black children did not have to be with white children. He feels that the focus should be

more on equal education them race difference.

Students Against Affirmative Action and for Equality SAAAE. This was motivated by the pro-Affirmative Action

movement by U.O.C. "regents Historical decision to end AA based on race." They believe in diversity and that

Affirmative Action "requires is racist and is dividing the student body." The SAAAE believe that there should be no

racial difference and students should be accepted to the University not considering their racial background.

The law of equal protection is being written by the first women and second African American to sit on the U.S.

Supreme Court. They are asking for equal protection to mean that minorities and women should be accepted

regardless of race or gender. It is time that America truly found out the meaning of equality.