Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity and Diversity for...

Affirmative Action: Equal Opportunity and Diversity for Minorities The term Affirmative Action originated in the United States and first referenced when President John F. Kennedy signed Executive Order 10925 on March 6, 1961 (Infoplease 2000-2007). The term was used in the Order to mandate federal employers to take affirmative action to ensure employment practices are free from racial discrimination against minority groups. Executive Order 10925 increased diversity between minorities and whites but was not enforced until four years later under Executive Order 11246, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. This act has since been expanded several times to prohibit discrimination and influenced implementation of other acts, such as The†¦show more content†¦Since its existence, â€Å"the Commission has focused on but one simply stated mission: the elimination of illegal discrimination from the workplace† (EEOC, n.d.). Since 1964 the EEOC has been successful as the lead enforcement agency of workplace discrimination. Over the four decades that EEOC has existed, it has been a valued supporter for the group of people it was mainly created to serve. Those groups include all peoples of the nation, not limited to African-Americans alone, because discrimination can happen to anyone of any race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, and of either sex. Contrary to popular belief, African Americans are not the primary beneficiaries of affirmative action. Rather, women have benefited from these policies as well which promote equality in employment and education for them as well. When we think of affirmative action it is easy to assume it only relates to the Black race. This is due to the fact that critics of affirmative action characterize it as a Black issue because this enables them to portray these policies as undeserved hand-outs to an under qualified group of people. Before the 19th century women fought to have the same rights afforded to them as men. The women s rights movement later established numerous rights and privileges for women due to the diligence and determination of groups with female and male members. The amendment of several orders previously set in place forShow MoreRelatedEqual Employment Opportunity ( Eeo ), Affirmative Action And Diversity Initiatives Essay996 Words   |  4 PagesEqual Employment Opportunity (EEO), Affirmative Action and Diversity initiatives are three different concepts. However, they do have an inter-relation between them. Affirmative Action plans are initiated by the federal government. This programme ensures equal opportunities for employment and opportunities for self-development at workplace. It provides opportunities to qualified individuals who have been denied such opportunities in the past on some kind of discrimination. Primarily, it is a quotaRead MoreThe Most Important Social Issue in America Toda y870 Words   |  4 Pageswomen and minorities of our country for decades upon decades, degrading them as if emotions and morals were not evident amongst them. The article entitled Affirmative Action states that as representation of minorities and women became more and more necessary, a movement called affirmative action became an important issue. Affirmative action is not limited to the uplifting of certain genders and races, but it focuses on establishing standards of certain ethical codes. Affirmative action concentratesRead MoreDifferences Between Equal Employment Opportunity Initiatives, Affirmative Action Initiatives and Diversity Initiatives in Organizations1120 Words   |  5 PagesDifferences between Equal Employment Opportunity initiatives, Affirmative Action initiatives and Diversity initiatives in organizations Tim Piper Issues in Human Resources Management – MBA 910 February 14, 2012 To best understand how affirmative action (AA), equal employment opportunity (EEO) and diversity work together, I will take a look at each of them and how they interact with each other and also explore the differences of the three initiatives . First Equal employment opportunity is the policyRead MoreAffirmative Action Is Important For Society1649 Words   |  7 Pages Affirmative action Affirmative action is an attempt to address past discriminatory injustices which may be based on gender, race or ethnicity. Affirmative action may take the form of policies and programs which are mostly mandated by governments and designed to bring changes in organizations, companies and educational institutions. Affirmative action is a vital tool which provides qualified people with equal access to educational or professional opportunities that they would otherwise have beenRead MoreRace Based Affirmative Action On Higher Education Essay1445 Words   |  6 PagesRace-Based Affirmative Action in Higher Education In 1961, President John F. Kennedy issued Executive Order 10925, which created the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity, or CEEO. One purpose of the CEEO was to â€Å"recommend additional affirmative steps which should be taken by executive departments and agencies to realize more fully the national policy of nondiscrimination† (Kennedy). This executive order planted the seeds that grew into what is today known as â€Å"race-based affirmative action,† or theRead MorePros And Cons Of Affirmative Action1548 Words   |  7 PagesAffirmative action is defined as â€Å"an active effort to improve the employment or educational opportunities of members of minority groups and women sought to achieve a multicultural staff through affirmative action; also: a similar effort to promote the rights or progress of other disadvantaged persons† (Affirmative Action, n.d.). Affirmative action is a government policy that ensures that diversity is maintained in schools and in t he workplace. It’s designed to assist individuals overcome previousRead MoreLegal Aspect of Affirmative Action Essay1288 Words   |  6 PagesAffirmative action programs are often misunderstood. Each person has their own idea of what affirmative action really entails. This paper will provide an overview of the legal aspect of affirmative action. The differences between affirmative action programs and equal opportunity legislation will be explained. The positive arguments will be presented along with the negative arguments. The affects affirmative action has on the society of the United States will be analyzed. Finally the reactionsRead MoreRacial Inequality And Affirmative Action900 Words   |  4 Pagesbarriers, President John F. Kennedy created the affirmative action program to provide equal opportunities for everyone, whether in education or in the workforce. Even if this was a program created in the 1960’s, problems continue to present itself as shown throu gh the many court cases, such as Brown vs. Board of Education, Fisher vs. University of Texas, Grutter vs. Bollinger et al, and Hopwood vs. State of Texas. Thus, racial inequality and affirmative action continues to be a controversial topic evenRead MoreAffirmative Action At The United States1634 Words   |  7 PagesFirst established in 1961, Affirmative action (in the United States) was/is a practice in which the purpose is to improve the employment or educational opportunities of members of minority groups and women (Merriam Webster). Fast forward to today’s society and what is affirmative action now? Considering the prevalence of diversity in the workplace and in educational facilities, it should be of utmost importance that all people, regardless of race, are given the equal opportunity in the admissions andRead MoreAffirmative Action : Discrimination And Discrimination927 Words   |  4 PagesLegally, affirmative action refers to policies offering compensation to grou ps formerly targeted for discrimination and identified along social cleavages racial groups in the United States and South Africa, and religious groups in Northern Ireland. Affirmative action is also described as a federally mandated program for federal contractors as it relates to employment. Civil Right results from federal and state laws against discrimination. Some groups of people have been discriminated and harassment

The Struggle Between Good and Evil free essay sample

Throughout history man has proven that, when left to deal with the struggle between good and evil, our immortality often claims victory, meaning that we are essentially wicked. Upon examining history along with fictional characters in plays, novels, short stories, etc. , we recognize that man default to their immoral and sinful human nature, which plays a colossal role in our everyday lives. Religion provides us with the original interpretation of what is evil versus what is not, while society and knowledge apply this definition to today’s world. The assessment of these characters morality invariably leads to one conclusion: good and evil are not opposite ends of a continuum but instead are inherent in every person’s psyche therefore, man in inherently evil. Human nature can be described as an everlasting struggle between the forces of light and dark within the human soul. Humans are at the mercy of this darkness around and within them and must consciously choose the light, leading to a righteous way of life. Lord of the Flies by William Golding depicts this struggle between the light and dark sides of human nature, â€Å"Golding has been described as pessimistic, mythical, and spiritual- an allegorist who uses his novel as a canvas to paint portraits of man’s constant struggle between civilized self and his hidden darker nature† (Golding William 708). There are two groups of boys that represent each end of the continuum, those who gave into their evil nature, Jack and his followers, and those who resisted it, Piggy, Simon, and Ralph. The novel demonstrates this inward struggle by providing multiple circumstances where the boys must subconsciously choose where their humanity lies. Just as our DNA is intertwined into us, so are the forces of evil. â€Å"There exists an unwritten but operative universal morality that is ultimately as inescapable as the hereditary forces that determine a person’s life†(Carpenter David). Roderick Usher from Edgar Allen Poe’s â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† experiences this type of imminent suffering. It seems as if he can’t escape the forces of evil tugging at him from within. This struggle causes his unavoidable unhappiness â€Å"in repeatedly frustrated and notably ironic efforts to find the locus of his â€Å"utter depression of soul† that it might be something inward does not occur and him, and cannot occur too† (Benoit Raymond). Because this evil is intertwined in his human nature he must suffer with it no matter his attempts to banish it. Human nature is not only shaped by the inescapable forces of the universe but we also look to society in order to further expand our role as human beings. Throughout history we have always been susceptible to the impact society has on our morality. As time Progresses we evolve and society continues to shape our ideas on humans and Evil. In Lawrence’s poem â€Å"Snake† the slithering creature creates a well-known connection for readers. The snake represents evil at is earliest form, â€Å"Lawrence explores the otherness of the creature world, defined chiefly by its purity and innocence in contrast to the corrupt human world† (McFall Gardner). He uses the snake to tempt the main character much like the snake tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Because of society the presence of this creature raises red flags. Rather than viewing nature as something beautiful, which it is, we connect it with evil all in thanks to what our corrupt world has taught us. In accordance with this theory, society can sometimes create, or bring out, the evil in a person’s human nature much like in Flannery O’Connor’s â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find†. â€Å"The Aptly named character of the Misfit serves as a symbol both of evil as well as a symbol of the villains’ inability to fit into society. † Because of his familiarity with rejection the Misfit has given into his evil human nature. Ultimately this is caused because of the effect society has had on him. Along with the Misfit, the grandmother in â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† shows signs of a dominantly evil human nature, â€Å"her insistence on dressing well so that people will know she is a lady, and her superficial interactions with her grandchildren are quite funny but also reveal the woman’s pride, pettiness, and self-centeredness† (Larson Susan). Although this is not the purest form of evil, her shallow actions show the effect society has on conditioning people to allow their evil nature to overrule their conscience. Much of what society bases itself upon is the nowledge we have attain throughout history and what we continue to learn. As time progresses our knowledge continues to expand and further develops our attitude towards evil. The knowledge humans have acquired has, and continues to, greatly impact our view towards evil. In the novel, Lord of the Flies, Piggy’s character represents knowledge among the boys. He is primarily the only one who chooses to look towards reason to maintain his good human nature. â€Å"Piggy’s knowledge and believe in the power of science and rational thought to help people understand and thus control the physical† (Lord of the Flies 174). He continuously asks the boy’s to use their common sense, and attempts to remind them of how they should be acting. Although his pleas go ignored William Golding shows that although it is a constant struggle, with reason and thought one can maintain their human nature even in the most uncivilized circumstances. Some may resort to their evil nature because knowledge is sometimes frightening, â€Å"The sun, which should represent life and the power or reason, can also be blinding† (Lord of the Flies 174). It is possible that by attempting to force knowledge into the boys, Piggy instead creates resentment. He tries to show them the light, Jack and his many followers cloud the boy’s mind. They may choose this evil path because the power of reason is intimidating, and the easiest way of survival on the island is to succumb to their evil nature. The impact religion has over the battle between good and evil is a vital one. It is an inescapable and highly influential factor. The debate on whether human beings are naturally good or evil has been, and will continue to be one of the most controversial subjects humans have had to address. Acknowledging the roles human nature, society, and knowledge play in this debate logically points us to believe that at the center of every human there is a dark nature. This nature must constantly be suppressed in order to lead an honorable life. The battle between light and dark within the human soul is one we will continue to fight because man was created inherently evil and is up to the individual to overcome the pull towards a corrupted and malevolent way of life.