Jun 11, 2023

Affirmative Action in a Modern America

Examine the implications of Affirmative Action in a modern America of kaleidoscopic diversity. Learn how the policy has helped Black people, and how it is increasingly applied to other groups.

EQUALITY POLITICS SOCIETY

Noah Smith 🐇🇺🇦

Writes about economics, tweets about rabbits. For serious opinions/analysis, read my blog: https://t.co/KfUxUlCYPz

Member of Economics

In honor of the Supreme Court's impending decision on Affirmative Action, here's my post about why a policy created for a Black-White nation can't make sense in a modern America of kaleidoscopic diversity:https://t.co/3bYxOFAHZu
— Noah Smith 🐇🇺🇦 (@Noahpinion) June 11, 2023
I document some evidence that Affirmative Action really has helped Black people: pic.twitter.com/gvGj4Ci9bV
— Noah Smith 🐇🇺🇦 (@Noahpinion) June 11, 2023
But because Black people aren't our largest minority anymore, Affirmative Action is increasingly applied to groups who don't share Black people's historical disadvantage -- and who are economically closing the gap with White people. pic.twitter.com/syOSJjafqn
— Noah Smith 🐇🇺🇦 (@Noahpinion) June 11, 2023
In an America of kaleidoscopic diversity, Affirmative Action has morphed from a program to help Black people overcome structural disadvantage into a bizarre and often nonsensical racial spoils system. pic.twitter.com/vEtQqMhZfb
— Noah Smith 🐇🇺🇦 (@Noahpinion) June 11, 2023
In fact, if we continue on the road we're on, racial preferences threaten to become increasingly unfair, bizarre, and distrusted. pic.twitter.com/CxuFCZ5kte
— Noah Smith 🐇🇺🇦 (@Noahpinion) June 11, 2023
Maybe this is one reason why Americans are decisively against racial preferences, even as they still feel fondness for the term "Affirmative Action" itself. pic.twitter.com/DoNqIZKwFG
— Noah Smith 🐇🇺🇦 (@Noahpinion) June 11, 2023
Anyway, I'm fairly positive about the role Affirmative Action has played in America thus far. But I think the changing of our country means that its time has drawn to a close, and we're going to need to find other ways of helping Black Americans.

(end)https://t.co/3bYxOFAHZu
— Noah Smith 🐇🇺🇦 (@Noahpinion) June 11, 2023