Affirmative Action Essays (2272 words) - Social Inequality

Affirmative Action Essays (2272 words) - Social Inequality Affirmative Action Affirmative Action Affirmative action has been the subject of increasing debate and tension in American society. Affirmative action is the nations most ambitious attempt to redress the issues of racial and sexual discrimination. According to the University of Rhode Island, Affirmative action is defined as, the specific actions in recruitment, hiring, upgrading and other areas designed and taken for the purpose of eliminating the present effects of past discrimination, or present discrimination (www.riuniversity.edu , 8). This allows minorities and women to be given special consideration in education and many other areas. The need for affirmative action is essential to college admissions credentials. Institutions with affirmative action policies generally set goals for increased diversity and equal opportunity among minority students. Our society is not one of equality, but affirmative action provides a way that problems with inequality can be address to the public. Minorities such as African-Americans, Asians, and Hispanics live mostly in urban areas that have large populations. Therefore, many minorities normally attend lower quality schools. Colleges usually do not take into account that students come from different backgrounds and different quality schools. The students that have better intermediate and secondary schools have an advantage in college admissions, which exclude many minorities. Affirmative action helps students who come from a lower quality secondary school to have a chance to prove themselves in accredited college. Another advantage of affirmative action is that it provides an environment of diversity. Diversity is essential to colleges and students. As part of higher education, students learn from face-to-face interaction with faculty member and other students to work productively inside and outside the classroom. Racial diversity can enhance college atmosphere by improving communications. It can also develop understanding among individuals of different races. Affirmative action can help students overcome prejudices when students discover just how much they have in common with their peers from other races. The educational benefit of affirmative action is that majority of the students who has previously lack significant direct exposure to minorities, frequently have the most to gain from interaction with individuals. Diversity on college and university campuses may be something that helps people expand their mind, or be open to new opportunities. In the article Needed documentation of how affirmative action benefits all students, it discusses how it is essential t colleges and students to have minorities on the campuses (6). In the section, The Evidence for Diversity: Then and Now, it states: In Justice Powells opinion, Baake relied heavily on the Harvard Plan. The admissions policy of Harvard College include justification for considering race as one of many factors used in deciding whom to admit. The plan stated that of Harvard College is to continue to offer first rate education to its students, minority representation in the undergraduate body would be ignored (2). Justice Powell went on to support diversity plan, which was in 1978. I the seventies, the same things were happening as it is today. People were fighting to have their race or someone elses as a factor in college admissions. Although this happened at Harvard in 1978, it continues today all over the United States. The article goes on to state that twenty years later much has changed, yet we still rely on anecdotal evidence to support the claim that a racially diverse student body is essential to quality education (2). Affirmative action dealing with college is still trying to make campuses a more diverse place with a racially diverse student body. Admitting someone into college or a university because they are smart, not only gives them a chance to be someone, but it also allows that campus to be diversified. In the article, Diversity Fades on Campus, it says schools routinely make exceptions for jocks, the children of big donors and alumni, and friends of power brokers. So why shouldnt these same schools be allowed to make exceptions for minority students. Minority students need the same advantages as jocks or students of big donors to have an equal opportunity in school. Affirmative action gives the same exceptions that some students who arent minorities receive t get into college. According to Jackie Snow in the article The Positive Aspects of Affirmative Action the author states that minority and women remain economically disadvantage.

The Fascinating Life and Times of Alexander Hamilton

The Fascinating Life and Times of Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton was born in the British West Indies in 1755 or 1757. There is some dispute of his birth year due to early records and Hamiltons own claims. He was born out of wedlock to James A. Hamilton and Rachel Faucett Lavien. His mother died in 1768 leaving him largely an orphan. He worked for Beekman and Cruger as a clerk and was adopted by a local merchant, Thomas Stevens, a man some believe to be his biological father. His intellect prompted leaders on the island to want him to be educated in the American colonies. A fund was collected to send him there to further his education. Education Hamilton was extremely smart. He went to a grammar school in Elizabethtown, New Jersey from 1772-1773. He then enrolled at Kings College, New York (now Columbia University) either late in 1773 or early in 1774. He later practiced law along with being a huge part in the founding of the United States. Personal Life Hamilton married Elizabeth Schuyler on December 14, 1780. Elizabeth was one of the three Schuyler sisters that were influential during the American Revolution. Hamilton and his wife  remained very close despite his having an affair with Maria Reynolds, a married woman. Together they built and lived in the Grange in New York City. Hamilton and Elizabeth had eight children: Philip (killed in a duel in 1801) Angelica, Alexander, James Alexander, John Church, William Stephen, Eliza, and Philip (born soon after the first Philip was killed.) Revolutionary War Activities In 1775, Hamilton joined the local militia to help fight in the Revolutionary War like many students from Kings College. His study of military tactics led him to the rank of lieutenant. His continued efforts and friendship to prominent patriots like John Jay led him to raise a company of men and become their captain. He was soon appointed to George Washingtons staff. He served as Washingtons untitled Chief of Staff for four years. He was a trusted officer and enjoyed a great deal of respect and confidence from Washington. Hamilton made many connections and was instrumental in the war effort. Hamilton and the Federalist Papers Hamilton was a New York delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. After the Constitutional Convention, he worked  with John Jay and James Madison to try and persuade New York to join in ratifying the new constitution. They jointly wrote the Federalist Papers. These consisted of 85 essays of which Hamilton wrote 51. These had a huge impact not only on ratification but also on Constitutional law. First Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton was selected by George Washington to be the first Secretary of the Treasury on September 11, 1789. In this role, he had a huge impact in the formation of the U.S. Government including the following items: Assuming all the states debts from the war thereby increasing federal power.Creating the U.S. MintCreating the first national bankProposing an excise tax on whiskey to raise revenue for the federal governmentFighting for a stronger federal government Hamilton resigned from the Treasury in January, 1795. Life After the Treasury Although Hamilton left the Treasury in 1795, he was not removed from political life. He remained a close friend of Washington and influenced his farewell address. In the election of 1796, he schemed to have Thomas Pinckney elected president over John Adams. However, his intrigue backfired and Adams won the presidency. In 1798 with the endorsement of Washington, Hamilton became a major general in the Army, to help lead in case of hostilities with France. Hamiltons machinations in the Election of 1800 unwittingly led to Thomas Jeffersons election as president and Hamiltons hated rival, Aaron Burr, as vice president. Death After Burrs term as Vice President, he desired the office of governor of New York which Hamilton again worked to oppose. This constant rivalry eventually led to Aaron Burr challenging Hamilton to a duel in 1804. Hamilton accepted and the Burr-Hamilton duel occurred on July 11, 1804, at the Heights of Weehawken in New Jersey. It is believed that Hamilton fired first and probably honored his pre-duel pledge to throw away his shot. However, Burr fired at and shot Hamilton in the abdomen. He died from his wounds a day later. Burr would never again occupy a political office in large part due to the fallout from the duel.