Affirmative action: How do we deal?

As a college student working towards future employment I believe that it is my responsibility to be aware of and understand the rising issues of equal opportunity in the workplace and institutions of higher education. Historically, women and minorities have been discriminated against, leading to the implementation of affirmative action policies. By definition affirmative action is "an effort to improve the employment or educational opportunities of members of minority groups and women" (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary). Many people believe that the key to true equal opportunity requires affirmative action policies. The debate rages whether affirmative action is still necessary, has outlived its usefulness, or needs to be modified and applied in a more moderate fashion. Affirmative action was originally intended to benefit groups that are thought to have suffered from discrimination. It is relevant to state that there are very prominent minorities in the U.S. According to the Nat...