Essay 3.2: Finding Balance in Negotiating the Effects of Affirmative Action

Opportunity is a valuable gift, and one that everyone deserves to be given. Our nation was built on the foundation that all men are created equal and deserve the opportunity to experience the rewards of their unyielding effort.   However, upon America’s seemingly even playing field, some would say that there are bumps in the ground that make it difficult for particular individuals to utilize our nation’s vast resources to reach their full potential. Thus, certain policies are put into place to level out all unnecessary hurdles, and to ensure that as many people as possible have access to the same resources and opportunities. One such policy is commonly referred to as “Affirmative Action” and it is supported by the United States Department of Labor. On its website, the Department of Labor states that the purpose of Affirmative Action is “to recruit and advance qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans.” The expectation is that Affirmative Action will rightfully enhance the opportunities available to these underrepresented groups in our nation’s schools and workforce. Many argue that without policies such as Affirmative Action in place, the talents of our country’s brightest and most intelligent individuals will be overlooked and undermined due to racial injustice and prejudice in the workplace. While Affirmative action has been successful in granting opportunities to highly deserving individuals, I am concerned that this policy expands the discriminatory cavity between the facade of shiny teeth lining America's "colorblind" smile.
According to Dan Froomkin, a writer for the Washington Post, “Affirmative action is the nation's most ambitious attempt to redress its long history of racial and sexual discrimination. But these days it seems to incite, rather than ease, the nation's internal divisions (Froomkin par. 1).” One major concern of Affirmative Action is the idea that certain people are being granted preferential treatment based upon ethnicity rather than work ethic or abilities. Non-minorities argue that they are affected by reverse discrimination, and they now lose out on valuable opportunities that were once available to them. The truth is that there are only a limited amount of employment opportunities or openings for college freshmen, so if some people are going to be denied under any circumstances, why should race be a deciding factor at all? Would it not be better for everyone if the best candidates received rewards for their hard work? If this were the case, there would be less tension among various ethnic groups. There would be no speculation about special treatment or unearned accolades. Everyone would achieve greatness through hard work, the way it is meant to be achieved. Please understand that I am not opposed to offering opportunities to people of all ages, religions, genders and ethnicities, but I wonder if a policy like Affirmative Action is necessary to make this happen. When we subdivide ourselves by race or gender, half the time one group will always lose out. If we are looked upon as a group, then everyone's accomplishments can be counted as a win-win. My plea to Americans is to reevaluate our standards of judgment. I hope we can agree that mutual understanding and respect is the most effective way to reward deserving idividuals, as well as to run fair businesses and institutions of higher learning. To suggest that Americans shed all discriminatory feelings and impulses is a hopeful request at best, but that is the only way we can reach an agreement. If the majority and minority put in the effort to better understand each other and appreciate the differences that shape us to be successful, then nobody will feel as if opportunities are being wrongfully stripped away from them.

In contrast, one argument that supports Affirmative Action states that it gives underrepresented groups better access to employment. According to a table produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor, the 2010 unemployment rate for White Americans was 8.7%, while that of African Americans was doubled at 16% (“Labor Force Statistics”). This statistic confirms that there is a clear disadvantage for minorities in America's workplace. While dividing the statistics into demographics provides great detail regarding the people who are unemployed, I fail to understand how the ethnicity of the unemployed is an important statistic. Even if the unemployment rate is balanced, with 12% African American and 12% Whites out of work, 100% of them would be Americans who do not have jobs. As a nation, we are setting ourselves back by focusing on facts like White versus African American unemployment. Policies like Affirmative Action are putting too much emphasis on race, and not enough focus on individual abilities or accomplishments. We cannot wholly succeed as a nation unless the sum of our individual parts is working together. It would be wasteful to put new tires on a car that has a dead engine.  As a country we need to reevaluate our priorities by recognizing the true characteristics that make a person a competitive candidate in the work force. After all, we are all Americans, and we all need jobs. Wouldn't we rather see jobs given to deserving Americans, majority or minority, rather than outsourced to foreign countries? Our main focus should be on the success of Americans, regardless of gender or skin color.

            In addition, while on the topic of race I feel the need to point out that there is no association between skin color and job performance. Back in the day, when racism ran rampant, whites believed themselves to be academically and socially superior to their African American counterparts. Now that we have become more reasonable and understanding, we know that there are no distinguishable differences in brain size or academic abilities. So why is race such an important factor in college acceptances and job offers?  It should not even be a factor. If we truly believe that “All men are created equal,” as stated in our Declaration of Independence, then there is no need for anyone to rely on Affirmative Action to make great accompishments in their field. By no means am I saying that we live in a color-blind society, because it would be insulting to suggest such harmony when racism and discrimination are still so prevalent throughout the world. Racial discrimination is unfortunately a deep-rooted splinter in American history, and it is a daunting task to eliminate such hatred across the world. But while racial discrimination toward minorities does exist, the point I am trying to make is that there is no clear evidence that discrimination contributes to the high unemployment rates in specific ethnic groups. An interesting fact published by the Pew Research Center, a public opinion poll based out of Washington D.C., reports "A 53% majority of African Americans say that blacks who don’t get ahead are mainly responsible for their situation, while just three-in-ten say discrimination is mainly to blame ("Blacks See" page 33)." Even specific minority groups refuse to point fingers at discrimination as a means to their rather unfavorable social standing. So is race really the red tape blocking minorities from the opportunity they seek, or could our problem be ignorance, a more demeaning culprit that plagues our society?

             In conclusion, to ensure the success of our nation's people, both minority and majority alike, we must consider ourselves as one cohesive group that works together to achieve a common goal. The only people holding us back from success are ourselves, and this problem can be easily fixed. We are all in agreement that everyone deserves the opportunity to prove their abilities and experience the rewards of their hard work. By now, I hope it is clear that our innate differences such as skin color or gender have no bearing on who can and cannot succeed in this world. Our common goals of supreme work ethic and commitment to excellence make us all worthy candidates for employment opportunities. It is important to remember that we cannot look at opportunity as a win-lose situation, especially since nobody wants to see their fellow brother fall in the mud. We must work together to achieve mutual understanding of each other's strengths, and choose the best American candidates, minority or majority, to be given life-changing opportunities. Let us all make a conscious effort to put aside characteristics that subdivide us into minorities. In the end, we can only achieve real success by working together to improve life as the majority: hard-working American people.

 Works Cited

“Blacks See Growing Values Gap between Poor and Middle Class” Pew Research Center. 13 Nov. 2007. Web. 15 Apr. 2011.

Froomkin, Dan. “Affirmative Action Under Attack” The Washington Post. Oct. 1998. Web. 28 Mar. 2011

 “Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey.” Bureau of Labor Statistics. The United States Department of Labor. 4 Mar. 2011. Web. 28 Mar. 2011.

Solis, Hilda L. “Hiring.” www.dol.gov. United States Department of Labor. 28 Mar. 2011

Reflection 3.1

This draft is definitely not my best work, and I plan to do major editing on it. Not only did I get a late start on the paper, but I also changed topics because I couldn't find sufficient research about Planned Parenthood. My next best option was Affirative Action. I'm confident in the sources I found, but I have yet to find a decent scholarly source that relates to my argument.

I like the Rogerian elements I have in my paper so far, and I hope to sift through and add more wherever I can.

Essay 3.1: Finding Balance: Negotiating the Effects of Affirmative Action

Opportunity is a valuable gift, and one that everyone deserves to experience. Everyone is worthy of the chance to accomplish great things and experience the rewards of their efforts. Society, as it clearly stands now, has its own checks and balances as a security feature to ensure that as many people as possible have access to the same resources and opportunities. But upon our seemingly even playing field, some would say that there are certain bumps in the ground that make it difficult for particular individuals to utilize our nation’s vast resources to reach their full potential. Thus, certain policies are rightfully put into place to level out all unnecessary hurdles, and afford everyone an equal opportunity to succeed.

One such policy is commonly referred to as “Affirmative Action” and it is supported by the United States Department of Labor. On its website, the Department of Labor states that the purpose of Affirmative Action is “to recruit and advance qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans.” These minority groups have been selected because they are underrepresented in our nation’s schools and workforce. The expectation is that Affirmative Action will rightfully enhance the opportunities available to these specific groups. This policy is intended to increase opportunity for those who are in need, but it is equally important not to take opportunities away from those who already have them.

Another argument that supports Affirmative Action is that it gives underrepresented groups better access to employment. According to a table produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor, the 2010 unemployment rate for White Americans was 8.7%, while that of African Americans was doubled at 16%. While dividing the statistics into demographics provides great detail regarding the people who are unemployed, the ethnicity of the unemployed should not be important. Even if the unemployment rate is balanced, with 12% African American and 12% Whites out of work, 100% of them are Americans who do not have jobs. Policies like Affirmative Action put too much emphasis on race, and not enough focus on individual abilities or accomplishments.We cannot wholly succeed as a nation unless the sum of our individual parts are working together. It would be a waste to put new tires on a car that has a dead engine. As a nation, we need to prioritize, and focusing on trivial facts like White vs African American unemployment will not make our country more successful. In fact, semantics like these are more likely to set us back than propel us forward.

            According to Dan Froomkin, a writer for the Washington Post, “Affirmative action is the nation's most ambitious attempt to redress its long history of racial and sexual discrimination. But these days it seems to incite, rather than ease, the nation's internal divisions (Froomkin).” One major concern of Affirmative Action is the idea that certain people are being granted preferential treatment based upon ethnicity rather than work ethic or abilities. Non-minorities argue that they are affected by reverse discrimination, and they now lose out on valuable opportunities. The truth is that there are only a limited amount of employment opportunities or openings for college freshmen. If people are going to be denied no matter what, why should race be a deciding factor at all? Would it not be better for everyone if the best candidates received rewards for their hard work? If this were the case, there would be less tension among various ethnic groups. There would be no speculation about special treatment or unearned accolades. Everyone would achieve greatness through hard work, the way it is meant to be achieved. I reiterate, I am not opposed to offering opportunities to people of all ages, creeds, religions, genders and ethnicities, but policies like Affirmative Action are not necessary to make this happen. If we are looked upon as a group, then everyone's accomplishments can be counted as a win-win. When we subdivide ourselves, half the time, one group will always lose out.
            I feel the need to point out that there is no association between skin color and job performance. Back in the day, when racism ran rampant, whites believed themselves to be academically and socially superior to their African American counterparts. Now that we have become more reasonable and understanding, we know that there are no distinguishable differences in brain size or academic abilities. So why is race such an important factor in college acceptances and job offers?  It should not even be a factor. If our country is founded on the basis that “All men are created equal,” and we truly believe that this is so, then there is no need for anyone to rely on Affirmative Action to make great strides.

            In conclusion, to focus on our nation's success, as a whole, we must consider ourselves one cohesive group that works together to achieve a common goal. The only people holding us back from success is ourselves, and this problem can be easily fixed. We are all in agreement that everyone deserves the opportunity to prove themselves and make great accomplishments. By now, I hope it is clear that trivial matters such as skin color or gender have no bearing on who can and cannot succeed in this world. It is important to remember that we cannot look at opportunity as a win-lose situation, especially since nobody wants to see their fellow brother fall in the mud. Policies like Affirmative Action only seek to better the lives of the minority, while working together as a majority seems much more effective to me.

 Works Cited

Froomkin, Dan. “Affirmative Action Under Attack” The Washington Post. Oct. 1998. Web. 28 Mar. 2011

 “Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey.” Bureau of Labor Statistics. The United States Department of Labor. 4 Mar. 2011. Web. 28 Mar. 2011.

Solis, Hilda L. “Hiring.” www.dol.gov. United States Department of Labor. 28 Mar. 2011.

Prewriting Essay 3

Possible topics:
-arguing against the funding cuts to planned parenthood
-arguing for the importance of arts education in public schools
- "Under God" in the pledge of Allegiance
-Lowering the drinking age
-the cons of affirmative action
-America should not feel obligated to help other countries after natural disasters

The topic I choose will be dependent upon the amount of research I can find to support my claim. I don't want to have the same difficulty with this assignment as I did with the last one.

Ideally, I would like to write about Planned Parenthood. I know that I won't have any trouble finding articles/opinions that support the funding cuts, but I'm concerned about finding 2-3 scholarly journals. This is a topic that I feel strongly about, and that I can make valid arguments to sustain funding. Because this is such a recent article, it gives me more of a pressing occasion as to why I'm writing about this topic in particular.

I steered clear of the "big ticket" topics like abortion and euthanasia because I honestly have nothing new to add to the age-old argument.

Reflection 2.2

Despite some difficulty, I am happy with the way my final draft turned out. The hardest part of this assignment was finding sufficient data to support the argument I was trying to make. I think part of the trouble came with the fact that the articles we were rebutting/refuting were so recent that there weren't many scholarly responses to support our claims.

If I could go back, perhaps I would change topics. To be 19 years old and writing about parenting was really a difficult undertaking. Most of the personal experience I included in my essay was due to the fact that I only have experience with the way my parents raised me, and I know that their method worked just fine. This is a topic that really needs strong first-hand experience from a parent, or from a person who researches child psychology and development. Beyond that, I could only write about what I know.

Another problem I encountered while writing was the publication of responses to Amy Chua's initial article. She was interviewed by several people and she tried to set the record straight about her intentions in writing her book, and the fact that it was meant to be a memoir. I also later found out that she did not choose the title of the article, which I berated her for in the first paragraph of my essay. Overall, as I was writing and finding ways to rebut her ridiculous argument, I no longer opposed her opinion as strongly as I did when I first received the assigment. This made it increasingly difficult to make my point. Thus, I chose to stick with the only thing I know: my personal experience.

Essay 2.2: Muting the Modern Day “Mommie Dearest”- A Rebuttal of Amy Chua’s “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior”

Dear Amy Chua,

            After reviewing your article, “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior,” published in the Wall Street Journal, your method of parenting raises several concerns and questions that I would like you to clarify. The truth is, by writing this article you chose to unleash Tiger Mom from her cage and put her on display to the world. It should come as no surprise that many people have questions and concerns regarding your uncanny parenting style and the way you went about writing this article. While I am not enraged by your argument, I do feel that you made a few ignorant claims against Western parenting. Although I am in no position to refute the validity of your parenting, I am giving you the opportunity to explain yourself further before I position your article on the chopping block for slaughter.

To begin, I would like to remark upon the title you chose when publishing your article. My reading of your title implies that there is a definite right and wrong way of parenting and that your method is the most effective one on the market. You make a major assumption in generalizing that anyone other than the people who share your views are inadequate parents or do not push their children hard enough. In paragraph ten of your article, you create a scenario in which Western parents appear notably inferior to Chinese parents and are incapable of proper parenting because they “have to struggle with their own conflicted feelings about achievement, and try to persuade themselves that they’re not disappointed about how their kids turned out” (Chua). These words are not only callous and demeaning, but ignorant as well. My issue with your article is that you fail to acknowledge that there are various parenting styles based upon many variables such as ethnicity, religion, and social class. Parenting methods are extremely personal, and they can all succeed or fail based on several different variables.You must realize that not every parent stresses academia as the most important factor in their child’s life the way Chinese parents do, but while the alternative "Western" parenting model may not suit your fancy, it cannot be immediately dicounted as ineffective or inferior. A more reasonable approach to this article would be to share your story as a piece of advice, rather than a divine intervention for the struggling Western parent.

I also question the emphasis you place on Chinese children owing their souls to their parents, stating that, “…the understanding is that Chinese children must spend their lives repaying their parents by obeying them and making them proud” (par. 16). It is an unnecessary burden to make any person feel involuntarily indebted to every authority figure they encounter. My parents have given me everything I could possibly ask for to be a happy person and a good citizen, and they are even paying to put me through six years of college at a private school. The only thing they have ever expected of me was to be a good student. Not once did they demand obedience or respect as a reward for doing their job. I learned to naturally respect my parents because, while I am not Chinese, I recognize their efforts, without feeling obliged or indebted to them. When someone feels so indebted to another person, they spiral into a frenzy trying to live up to others’ expectations. Sometimes they fall so quickly, that nobody can catch them in time to set them straight. According to a statistic published by the National Alliance on Mental Illness:

Asian and Pacific Islander Americans represent one of the fastest growing segments of the population. Unfortunately, depression is the second leading cause of death in this group, with the highest rate of suicide among women between 15-24 years of age…The stereotype of the highly successful, well-educated and upwardly mobile person can sometimes make it difficult for Asian women to accept their “flaws.” They feel they must live up to high standards and succeed in all areas (par. 1).

Heightened suicide rates among young Asian women only proves that the constant pressure to deliver perfection to elders is a heavy cross to bear. I only point out that there are other ways to gain your child’s respect and loyalty, without obligatory submission to your challenging demands.

As a response to the public criticism you have been receiving, your oldest daughter, Sophia, wrote a letter titled “Why I love my strict Chinese mom,” published in the New York Post. In this letter she states, “To me, it’s not about achievement or self-gratification. It’s about knowing that you’ve pushed yourself, body and mind, to the limits of your own potential.” (par. 6). I admire her perspective on success and achievement, as I share the same goal-oriented charisma that she is displaying. I do, however note one important difference: when Sophia talks about pushing herself, I cannot help but point out that it was you who single-handedly pushed her to achieve the goals that you set. My crew coach once told me, “Goals are not supposed to be easy to reach. That is why they’re goals. You have to want them and you have to work toward them.” I have always found it best to set my own goals, that way I am not answering to anybody else, or working on somebody else’s behalf. I know that my success is my own, and I reach my goals on my own merit. By forcing your daughters to play violin or piano, and then forcing them to play their instruments perfectly, none of their goals are ever personal. It appears that you live vicariously through your daughters by giving them seemingly impossible goals and forcing your children to reach them. Going back to the advice my coach offers, success is mind over matter, and you have to want something badly to eventually get it. Since your children have never set their own personal goals and have only put in effort to please you, is it safe to say that your girls have experienced true success?

This leads me to my next question: is success measurable or quantifiable, and how is it defined? Judging by your article, one can only be considered successful if he or she is the best in all fields and never experiences failure. While winning or achieving greatness is a wonderful feeling, please allow me to point out an obvious flaw in your definition. The truth is, there is more to being successful than just excelling at academics or attending Ivy League schools. If this were not the case, then only a very small percentage of the world’s population could ever be considered successful.  An interesting fact I encountered when searching on the Nobel Foundation website shows that only eight recipients of the Nobel Prize were born in China, while 236 recipients are Westerners born and raised in America (Nobel Prize Foundation).  Interestingly enough, it is known that some recipients of this esteemed Prize never received any formal education in their lifetime. Being on the receiving end of a Nobel Prize is no small accomplishment, and it comes with many years of trial and error. The recipients have emerged as some of the best and brightest in their field; all due to their obstinate attempts at success, regardless of how many solid A’s appeared on their report cards. Along the way these scholars made a few wrong turns or an occasional unsavory decision, but eventually they reached the goal they wanted by finding their own way. A roadmap is an easy tool to follow for anyone who cannot think on their own, but for those that do not rely on formulas and methodical routes, unchangeable directions are the enemy.

According to the National Council on Family Relations, studies showed that: “Typically, they [Chinese mothers] stated that parents in the U.S. were ‘too lenient’ with their children…affording them too much autonomy (Gorman 77). As a child, I tried every activity known to man: swimming, art class, piano, girl scouts, gymnastics, softball, and the list goes on. Perhaps if my parents forced me to stick with piano I would have played alongside your daughter at Carnegie Hall, but I knew that I did not want to play anymore, so my parents did not press the matter. They decided to let me experience each activity first hand, and discover on my own if I was meant to pursue it. In your article you say, “To get good at anything you have to work, and children on their own never want to work, which is why it is crucial to override their preferences” (par. 6). But by pushing your children in one direction, you may very well have prevented them from discovering something that they are truly meant to do. Your daughter may have gone on to be the next James Cameron or Pablo Picasso, but you’ll never know that, will you?

In conclusion, when it comes to parenting, no one can undoubtedly say that one method is more effective than the other. Parents only have their child’s best interest at heart, and they wish to see their children fly on their own and succeed. Congratulations on a job well-done as a parent. Considering your child’s accomplishments, I cannot argue that she is not talented or successful in everything she does. My argument is that you pushed her to get there, and never gave her the opportunity to experience life first-hand. Sophia may excel in academics, and she may bear eight letters from the Ivy League begging her to commit to their institution, but what else has she gained in the process? I only ask that you reflect upon your child-rearing method, and reconsider the claim that your method is superior, but instead: modestly effective, like every other method in existence.

Works Cited

"All Nobel Laureates". Nobelprize.org. Web. 18 Mar 2011.

Chua, Amy. "Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior." The Huffington Post. 8 Jan. 2011. Web. 19 Feb 2011.
Chua, Sophia. "Why I love my strict Chinese mom." The New York Post. 18 Jan. 2011. Web. 1 Mar. 2011.

Duckworth, Ken Dr. “Asian American Women and Depression Fact Sheet.” National Alliance on Mental Illness. Oct. 2009. Web. 23 Mar. 2011.
Julian, Teresa W., McKenry, Patrick C., McKelvey, Mary W. "Cultural Variations in Parenting." National Council on Family Relations.
Vol. 43, No. 1. Jan., 1994. Web. 27 Feb. 2011

Reflection 2.1

I'm pretty happy with my first draft on a global level. For revisions I"m looking to go in on a local level and make small adjustments within my paragraphs. One thing I want to improve for my final draft is the research I am incorporating in my paper.

The research process was a little challenging. Because this article was so new, there wasn't a lot of recent research on the topic of Chinese parenting styles. Most of the articles that came up in my search were from the early-mid 90's. At first glance I didn't find research that really brought new facts to the table and supported my claims, but I plan to find more effective evidence when I construct my final draft.

By the end of my paper I no longer felt as opposed to Amy Chua's argument about parenting styles. My letter to her became more of a compromise to meet half way instead of touting her view as the right method or the best method. If I had the opportunity I would want to read her entire memoir to get a better idea of what she is all about.