Gregory Freeman: Lots Of Hypocrisy Fills Debate On Affirmative Action. P-D 6/26/1997

Headline: LOTS OF HYPOCRISY FILLS DEBATE ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
Reporter: By Gregory Freeman

Publication: ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Last Printed: Thu., Jun. 26, 1997
Section: NEWS, Page: 1B, Edition: FIVE STAR LIFT

FOR YEARS, I've been clobbered by some readers every time I've mentioned my support for affirmative action.
My argument has been that of the level playing field: that affirmative action is a necessary remedy to correct the wrongs that this country in flicted on blacks here in the past. Few would deny that slavery and racism put blacks behind other Americans, educationally and economically. I've argued that affirmative action programs have allowed for more diversity on college campuses, a desirable part of the learning experience where students learn about people of different races and cultures.
I've argued that affirmative action programs have been necessary in corporate America as a way to open the doors for qualified job applicants who were excluded when such programs did not exist.

I've listened to the arguments against my position for years, and now, I'm ready to drop my position in support of affirmative action - under certain conditions.

First, I want to see an end to the "affirmative action" used to recruit college athletes. Often, these folks are not recruited on their academic merits; they're not necessarily equipped to compete with the students who were accepted because of high SAT scores. Instead, they're given "preferential treatment" over other students because they're brawny enough to tackle a man or they can put a ball in a basket. Why should these students get preference over students with top grades?
Second, I want to see an end to the "affirmative action" used for children of alumni and contributors to colleges and universities. Why should preferential treatment be given to some students whose grades may not be very good simply because their parents have money? Is there fairness in such a system? Let all of those kids compete on the same level. Those with the best grades get in. Those whose grades aren't so hot go somewhere else.
Third, let's bring an end to the "affirmative action" that allows someone at a business to get his son hired, or his brother, or his daughter. Are those individuals really better qualified than anyone else for the positions they hold? Or have they been given "preferential treatment"? Let them compete with everyone else. If they aren't the best qualified candidates for the job, they can keep pounding the pavement for work.
Oh, and while we're at it, let's hear it for an end to the "affirmative action" that lets people get promotions for playing office politics. Is playing golf with the boss or having drinks with him really reasons for someone to get a promotion?
And can we put an end to the "affirmative action" for celebrities, that lets them get the best tables at restaurants and to jump ahead of others in lines? Does the governor wait in line at the drivers license bureau when he renews his plates? Or does he get "preferential treatment" as well?

All sorts of reasons exist for people to get "preferential treatment" at school and on the job. Taken together, there are likely more people getting preferential treatment because of some of the points I just raised than because of actual affirmative action programs.
But I don't hear the national outrage over the athletes, the legacies, the fathers and brothers, the office politicians or the celebrities.

What I do see, at times, is hypocrisy. I chuckle at some blacks, like Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, for instance, who took full advantage of affirmative action programs but who argue that they shouldn't exist for others. It's hard for me to have a lot of respect for such individuals when they didn't reject affirmative action as they went through schools or moved through their careers.

What I also see is that affirmative action hasn't been that successful, despite the anecdotes of some critics. In St. Louis, for instance, one needs only walk down the streets of downtown or Clayton and see how few blacks are in white-collar positions. How many blacks are heads of major corporations here? If affirmative action is so threatening, why aren't there more blacks in those jobs?

In fact, affirmative action isn't the most successful program, but it is better than nothing at all.

Still, I'm willing to drop my support for it - just as soon as we drop the many other forms of preferential treatment that have gone on for many more years than affirmative action.

Daniel Schesch - Webweaver

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