Today’s Topic

It’s been 30 years since affirmative action entered the American lexicon. It was a heady time when civil rights leaders believed that equal opportunity in the workplace was an attainable goal.

With the shifting economy and the legacy of the conservative Reagan years, minority leaders now fear that it could take generations to reach that utopian day when the color of one’s skin ceases to be an issue.

In fact, there appears to be a growing backlash on the part of whites--particularly men--who are beginning to believe that reverse discrimination is limiting their opportunities for advancement.

In today’s Youth Opinion, Michael Lewis--born at the height of the civil rights movement--discusses his anger at being told that he could not apply for an internship because he is white.

Civil rights leaders in Los Angeles, looking at a city that has a 63% minority population without commensurate representation in business, believe the complaints are not always reasonable. They point out that the goal of affirmative action has never been to hire unqualified people; rather it is to allow qualified minorities and women a fair chance at being hired and promoted.

“Those are hollow voices that we’re hearing,” says Joe Hicks of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles, referring to those who complain about affirmative action.

“The hierarchy of the corporate world is still dominated by white males,” Hicks says.

Few whites say they want a return to the pre-civil rights days but many will, however, quietly complain that affirmative action should not come at the expense of their own advancement.

“The problem with affirmative action is that it assumes people are qualified or disqualified by virtue of their skin color or their chromosomes,” says Prof. Joerg Knipprath of Southwestern University School of Law.

“In addition,” Knipprath says, “a lot of whites view minorities as having gotten where they did because of affirmative action. And that doesn’t help minorities.”

Just how far apart minorities and whites are on the subject is reflected in a recent poll commissioned by the National Conference of Christians and Jews.

That poll found that 80% of African Americans, 60% of Latinos and 57% of the Asian Americans surveyed believe they do not have the same opportunities as whites. Yet, 63% of the white respondents said blacks and Asians have equal opportunities, and 57% said the same about Latinos.

“There have been occasions when some institutions have frankly been so far behind in achieving true diversity that in the process of correcting previous inequities they have to give priorities to minorities,” says John Mark, president of the Los Angeles Urban League. “I don’t think that is the typical way affirmative action works.”

Adds USC Law Center professor Erwin Chemerinsky, “It is important for people to realize that there are limited numbers of opportunities in society. Some of the opportunities will be going to minorities and women, he said, “as well they would have all through our history if there wasn’t a legacy of discrimination.”