Take Affirmative Action

By Mark David Blum, Esq.

We as Americans are poised at the precipice of another milestone in the advancement of our society. It is normal and accepted now that a Vagino-American and an African-American are major party candidates for President of the United States.

Our nation seems to have reached its tolerance crescendo. We no longer judge the candidate by their genitals or melanin. Rather, we look at the candidate as a person and what is it they bring to the table. Of course, there are those who are voting their race and gender. I still believe that the nation is not looking at the candidates for what is in their pants or pants suits but rather what is in their hearts.

The candidacies of Senators Clinton and Obama also prove another change is due in society. Should either Democrat win the Presidency, there is a valid argument to once and for all, end our nation’s programs of Affirmative Action and quotas. The elevation of Senator Obama to ‘Presidential Rock Star’ and Senator Clinton to hard hitting hard core Washington warrior brings to light proof that Affirmative Action had its place in our history; and no more.

Without a doubt, neither of these two candidates would be where they are today without Affirmative Action. It is not claimed that either personally benefitted from such programs and I seek not to diminish by an iota their personal achievements. Instead, I point out that nationally and over time, our Affirmative Action programs were a monumental success. They opened doors and ended segregation such that ‘Black’ and ‘White’ are labels remaining only in the minds of a few ignorant Neo Cons and racists. For the overwhelming majority of Americans of all political stripes, Affirmative Action in its day brought us into contact with each other and in the end, we learned that we all bleed red.

But today, the current political campaign is showing the glass ceiling is shattered. The drinking fountains are replaced with bottled water dispensers, and nobody bats an eyelash at the race or gender of a Presidential candidate. To me, this proves that Affirmative Action has done its job. It also signals that it is time to reach back to more equality of opportunity and end Affirmative Action programs.

If a Black man can be President of the United States, what more proof do you need that Affirmative Action worked … and is no longer necessary?

"If there ever are great revolutions there, they will be caused by the presence of the blacks upon American soil. That is to say, it will not be the equality of social conditions but rather their inequality which may give rise thereto." (Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, 1835).

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