Affirmative Action Dialogue Debate

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A Dialogue of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity



The debate over the permissibility of Affirmative Action (which I will abbreviate as AA

throughout this paper), seems to be like a maze of words. One idea or belief leads to other linking

ideas and the debate never seems to find an end. There are, like most moral topics, two opposing

viewpoints. For the purpose of this paper, I will write a dialogue using an example from each side

of the argument.

Alex is a white, middle-class man from an urban town, who has worked hard at academics

to get himself to where he is right now. He is currently in the process of getting his graduate

degree in law at a highly regarded Ivy League school. Beth, on the other hand, is a black woman

from a low socio-economic background. Just like Alex, she has worked extremely hard to get to

where she is today. She was also accepted into an Ivy League School and is in the process of

getting her Business Degree. Similar as these two individuals may appear, however, there

underlies hidden forms of passive and active discrimination that Beth has experienced on her way

to success. Their experiences and beliefs will be analyzed in the following dialogue to help the

reader gain a clear understanding over the debate of Affirmative Action.

Alex Smith (A) and Beth Howard (B) end up in the same coffee house while visiting

friends. Beth overhears Alex talking about his thoughts on AA. Beth, a very opinionated

woman, joins Alex at his table and they begin a fairly long discussion with their friends listening

attentively.






A: I will tell you straight out that I believe AA is unjust and inappropriate because it is a

violation of equal opportunity. You know what I mean by equal opportunity right?

B: I am pretty sure but why don’t you explain it to me anyway.

A: Well, basically I believe that all people...