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<li><p>The original poster definitely mentioned Affirmative action, so to claim that nobody else is allowed to do so sounds a bit childish to me. </p></li>
<li><p>Andphilmont, your post is very thoughtful. However, many of the disparities that you mention in your post are economic. For example, what is it, intrinsically, that separates a hard working student like your mother, in a failing public school, from another white or asian hard working student in the same public school? Shouldn’t colleges consider applicants in the context of their situation? Because it was not the fact that your mother was black that made her an attractive applicant. In theory, it was the fact that she was hard working and accomplished much in light of her circumstances. So why shouldn’t affirmative action be based on socioeconomic status as opposed to race? </p></li>
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<p>Also, bringing up athletics does not work when comparing the edge that athletes get in admissions compared to that of minorities. What’s the difference, then, between a minority with a boost in admissions and an athlete who got a similar boost? Athletes worked their entire lives to be some of the best in all of America and the world at their sport. A black person was born black. A Colombian was born Colombian. I hope that you can see the difference. </p>
<p>The most severe harm, in my personal opinion, of Affirmative Action is the message that it sends to minority students. That constant paternalistic whisper, shrieking, “you aren’t good enough.” As a person who’s always worked to achieve the best grades and highest test scores that I could, and balance those feats along with sports and other extracurricular activities, these comments would come as a personal affront. And this is the whisper heard by thousands of qualified minority students each year. </p>
<p>Oh, I forgot to mention. I am actually in favor of Affirmative Action.</p>