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What KKK and Affirmative Action have in common!

Ramesh C. Reddy
Publisher

Across the nation many advocates of Affirmative Action hailed the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling in the case of Grutter v.s Bollinger. This ruling allows race to be included as a factor in graduate college admissions. This case particularly dealt with the University of Michigan’s admission policies for entrance into their law school.

It is a decision that brings color to my mind. If a person was not Caucasian then it seems they would be at an advantage to get admitted into the university’s law school just so diversity can be promoted.

It has a cost and that cost is discrimination to destructiveness. Once the race card comes into play then society has already lost. Giving a seat to someone  in school or a job in the marketplace because of their race is treating them less than a human being.

When a decision is made based on the color of a person then what has happened to humanity?

Humanity is then based on the feelings of superiority and inferiority. Michigan’s admissions policy can make people feel that once race is superior to another race. In this case, it gives the impression that Caucasians are superior to non-Whites so non-Whites need a break to get in. The break is color coded in nice jargon called ‘Affirmative Action’

If you have ever been a recipient of Affirmative Action, it is because you are seen as inferior and in need of help. If you accepted Affirmative Action then you accept the label that your color has made you inferior compared to other human beings.

It is color that that has been a factor in racial discriminations, prejudices, and injustices and it is color again that has started Affirmative Action.

Color has always been at the forefront and as long as color is taken into account to make decisions then there will always be discrimination including reverse discrimination.

If you have benefited from Affirmative Action then you would see no need to abolish it but remember you are where you are because your color was taken into account to show sympathy.

Do you want to be remembered for coming up or going down because of your color?

When the KKK & Nazis acted it was because color/race was taken into account. When administrators of Affirmative Action act, it is because color/race is taken into account.

As long as decisions are based on color, human beings will never get away from racial inequality.

When we become figuratively color blind and accept people as human beings, special & precious in the Lord’s sight only then can we get away from racial inequality. With Affirmative Action it will still be there.

When feelings of superiority come into our mind because of the color of our skin, we need to remember that we all are made up of the same color on the inside. It is where life is!

 Life is in the blood! Your blood bleeds red as mine does. If people think they are superior to someone else and are in need of a blood transfusion, do they ask ‘Whose blood are they getting?’

Of course not! As a White person, they could be getting the blood of a Black person, as an Asian person, they could be getting the blood of a White person, and so on.

They accept it graciously and receive the blood from a tapestry of human beings who saw the person in need as a human being.

When you give blood, you do not fill out who that blood goes to. It is based on who is qualified in terms of need basis to get the blood. Admissions and jobs should also be based on qualifications. The criterion is different but the principle should be the same. Qualifications over color should rule.

Unfortunately we live in an evil world where racism is prevalent. There are those who use racism to prevent others from coming up. That is not the way of God. God wants us to obey Him and look beyond the color. The Bible says that man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart. Since humanity does not do that God has to intervene. I believe God has intervened through the act of Affirmative Action to right what has been wronged.

As much as I hate Affirmative Action because it is a by product of what is wrong with society, it will stay until we obey God and look at man's heart and not his appearance. Until the the late Dr. Martin Luther King's Jr. dream comes true, I will support Affirmative Action to help the downtrodden.

It appears I am contradicting myself but I am not. I do not support Affirmative Action in theory because if we obey God there is no need for it but since many don't Affirmative Action is necessary in practicality.

If there is anything you take away from here, remember the words of King. who said, “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal…where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!’"

Ramesh C. Reddy can be reached at rcrst6@pitt.edu. Galatians 3:27-29 speaks to me about looking beyond color.

Give me your feedback if you agree or disagree