Some thoughts on affirmative action

Someone asked me whether or not APAs, as a racial minority in the U.S., should benefit from affirmative action from colleges. I thought this was an interesting question.

Most proponents of affirmative action would agree that it is not justified by minority status alone; rather, it is racial discrimination that is the basis of affirmative action. Needless to say, virtually all people of color in this country have faced and even now face racial discrimination, albeit in a wide variety of forms. But to return to the original inquiry, the question then becomes "why is affirmative action necessary in college admissions?"

I do not intend to restate the obvious, but inequality of opportunity (in education, jobs, politics, etc) is one of the most pervasive and statistically verifiable forms of racism in America. Affirmative action in college admissions arose to redress this situation and provide the seeds for a more equitable and racially inclusive society. By some measures, affirmative action has been sucessful and there are undoubtably more people of color (and on a even more dramatic scale, women) in institutions of higher education than forty years ago, although it would be difficult to argue that the foundations of contemporary society have been shaken nearly enough to bring about equality. Despite the many steps that are yet to be made, I believe strongly in the importance and efficacy of college affirmative action programs on the behalf of underrepresented minorities.

The most direct answer to this question is that Asian Americans do not receive affirmative action from college because, unlike African Americans, Latina/os, and Native Americans, they are not underrepresented on most campuses. In no way does this mean that Asian Americans do not face racial discrimination; in my opinion, it simply shows a general trend among Asian Americans indicating a strong interest and tenacity in pursuing education. While I have seen enough evidence to see why the "model minority" myth can be hurtful and damaging, I would also conclude that the general lack of underrepresentation means that Asian Americans are not necessary beneficiaries of affirmative action in college.

However, the breadth and diversity of culture and privilege among the nation's four million Asian Americans means that affirmative action based on very broad racial categories overlooks many differences of educational opportunity between different Asian ethic groups in this country. Although I believe it is harmful and divisive to make generalizations about particular ethnic groups and their position in society, I also think it is possible to overlook the importance of why, how, and when one's ancestors came to this country. I make the reasoned assumption (please inform me if you think I am wrong or missing the point in any way) that generally speaking, one will have easier time getting a good education if one's parents were doctors or professors in another country or have been in this country for four generations than if one recently arrived in America as an illiterate refugee from a war-torn region in Southeast Asia.

As a final point, I would like to note that while Asians may even be "overrepresented" on college campuses (I hesitate because I believe they absolutely deserve to be there, unlike [generally white] children of alumni or children of large donors, who may or may not deserve their position), they are certainly underrepresented in most other areas in this country, including school administration, law enforcement, local, state, and national government, the media, the entertainment industry, and Wall Street. Affirmative action on the behalf of Asian Americans is essential in governmental jobs, including law enforcement and managerial positions, if we are to build a society that gives full voice and respect to the diversity of cultures and viewpoints within this country's borders and beyond.