Affirmative Action in Admissions

Title: “Isn’t that what the case is about, the discrimination against Asian Americans?” Conservatives Use Racial Wedge to Attack Affirmative Action

Author: Wayne Au

Argument: The Author argues that Affirmative Action is not a cure to end institutionalized racism in education but needs to be defended as a gain in the struggle for racial equity in education when white supremacy attacks.

Talking Points

1. The author begins with speaking on Edward Blum who was setting up multiple court cases of white students being rejected from institutions, assisting in their court cases. Affirmative Action was enforced in 1961 and took less than two decades before white conservatives attacked it in the college setting. He began Students for Fair Admissions to push the execution of Affirmative Action. By the 2010’s he decided to really push Asian Americans as leverage in his goal. Asian Americans were used as a wedge because of the model minority myth. This myth stems from the stereotype that all Asians are geniuses. This stereotype came from after the war when they were trying to rebuild their lives after being sentenced to camps because “they were Japanese spies”. 

2. The author later said, “For conservative white and conservative Asian Americans alike, the solution to the “problem” of affirmative action is clear: high-stakes, standardized tests as a true objective measure for university admissions.” The holistic admissions approach brings compassion and understanding to those who were not set up for success from 2-3 family generations ago. Being able to see the applicant for their past, their essays, their involvement and struggles, ALONG with their testing and grades allow colleges and institutions to produce well rounded graduates and not people who just happen to test well. Those who are in support of Affirmative Action along with DEI programs all believe that they were created to take away jobs from “qualified” people for a minority. They are ignorant in not understanding that the person receiving the job is both qualified AND happens to not be white. It’s peaked since the 2nd Trump Administration made it seem as though unqualified people were getting jobs they didn’t deserve. The reason Affirmative Action exists is to ensure that employers aren’t racial profiling and just giving away jobs to white people since they “feel” they’re more competent. I’ve seen dozens of videos where people of color mention their parents giving them “white” names to ensure they won’t get turned away immediately by hiring companies when they do come across a non “white” name. The dozens of videos where people of color mention that white people were shocked when meeting a new hire because they “sounded” white. 

3. Lastly, “If college admissions were based purple on test scores…Asian Americans accepted into elite universities would only rise by 2% points…This would result in 1 in 5 Asian American students not being admitted for meeting the threshold and perhaps ironically, denying admittance to those students who may have benefited from affirmative action programs.” This statistic made me laugh out loud. Many Asian Americans, specifically East Asians fall into believing they are liked by the conservative white man and are with them, not the other minorities. The groups that follow the ideals end up suffering from it and get hoodwinked despite being chanted that they’re being used for political gain. 

Connections: My partner is a first generation East Asian American from SoCal. He knew his family wouldn’t be able to assist in funding his college expenses and applied to the Coast Guard Academy where it was free to attend with 5 required years of service. He went from a filled Asian high school into a white, mainly conservative demographic. Sure, he may have been chosen to hit a diverse quota by admissions but he entered an environment where a part of the time he felt out of place. There was a specific welcome day for students of color called Genesis (Trump Administration cut that this year) where they invited students to make them feel like they wouldn’t be alone. He was a part of different clubs on campus for Asian students (which got cut from the Administration this year) (and his lovely conservative parents who are safely in their Asian dominant community said it was a good thing so students weren’t “divided”). He graduated and became an Officer for the Coast Guard. He was in charge of many white men who didn’t believe he should be in charge of them. He left the boat and came to CGA Admissions. Although this is slightly different from other institutions where physical fitness is considered (PFE, can’t accommodate to disability and colorblind students) there was still a decent holistic approach. In a giant sea of white applicants there would be few of color. All the students were considered based on merit as well but the military does need more people in color in charge. I'd like to also point out that despite Trump attempting to crack down on "Affirmative Action" hires complaining that they're not qualified, he had appointed Pam Bondi, Linda McMahon, Kristi Noem, and many more I could probably find who were not qualified for the job but white woman who knew him and magically received a job and have been fired since receiving it.

This article from The Post describes an East Asian American student who is suing because he was rejected from many colleges. He is seeing through a lens that he should be rewarded nonstop for his merit and not anything else. There is a sense of entitlement that comes with those who can score high and he fits right in. His dad says, “I did hear that Asians seem to be facing a higher bar when it comes to college admissions, but I thought maybe it’s an urban legend.” This goes to the third talking point where merit alone does more harm to Asian applicants since they, at volume, are applying to more of the same institutions.  

The Office star Kelly, who is Mindy Kaling, unfortunately had a brother who decided to apply as a black man when applying to med school instead of himself. Although the initial article focuses on more East Asian Americans and their experience, his version of the story is that affirmative action allowed him to be selected and applying as an Indian man he would’ve got rejected. The issue was he never applied initially as himself. “There’s little evidence to suggest his posturing as a “black” applicant helped him get into these schools. First, there is no point of comparison: Chokal-Ingam never applied to medical schools as an Indian-American.” It continues, “he told CNN he applied at 22 medical schools and interviewed at 11. He was wait-listed at four schools and got into only one.” His whole ploy backfired so bad he was racially profiled in every other environment. 

Reflections: I chose this article specifically because I work with students who could benefit from Affirmative Action. Not in the sense that they needed help because their merit or scores weren’t top tier, because they are (I’m so proud of some of them) but because the real issue is white supremacy closing the door on students who don’t fit the white conservative ideals. Many of my students come from non white schools and have to prepare themselves to enter a college environment where they are not the majority and now must prove themselves to white students coming from white schools where their only competition was other white people. I also chose this because in the beginning of the year the Trump Administration cut DEI and Affirmative Action programs. Without opportunities in diversity, more corrupt white conservatives are able to hold more prejudice in hiring and choosing people. As long as Asian Americans try to appease the white man with expectations that they are "not like the others" they will continue to harm themselves along with many groups.

In a positive light I go on the bike path to pick up trash every few weeks and came across the most insanely sticky stress ball cow. Enjoy the asynchronous day!