Affirmative Action Post Class

I started out as someone on the fence, I had my issues with affirmative action and I wasn't sure if I supported it or not because of that. But watching the debate play out and having my questions answered by both sides, I think I swing more firmly in support of the policy.

I was most convinced by the arguments of the ineffectiveness of anti-discrimination laws. We have law enforcement for a reason, which goes just beyond the law. If a law like "don't steal" was effective by itself, why do we need police? Obviously because people don't just follow the law because they are supposed to. And I think a law like "don't discriminate" needs enforcement just like a law against stealing because unless you actually do something and actively enforce it, people are just going to ignore it and find a way around it. People who have a discriminatory mindset aren't going to just magically change their minds, if it takes the government to force them into hiring minorities who can work the position, so be it. I also liked the how the pro side was aware that they were treating a symptom and not a cause but knew they were "a means to an end". Obviously equal opportunity needs to be created at many different levels with many different policies and affirmative action is just a piece to that entire puzzle. And while "it's better than nothing" can sound like a weak argument, I feel like it's better than being aware of both a symptom and a cause and doing nothing.

I still have my problems with the policy, I would like to see a larger focus on class over race and gender, but I am a huge believer in equal opportunity because I know that I have been very lucky in my life to come from an upper middle class family where I got a great K-12 education and college was always in my reach. I think that everyone should at least have the ability to do the same things and I think that if affirmative action can at least help some people get there, then it's a benefit over all to society.