Affirmative action is nothing more then a tool. Its primary function is to give opportunity to those who were not thought of when the Declaration of Independence and Constitution of the United States of America was drafted. Rich white men constructed those documents to benefit their wealth and freedom, lacking the consideration of those who would be suppressed for generations to come, such as white women, African men and women enslaved, Chinese men enslaved, Native Americans killed and currently enslaved on reservations, and all other cultures in America today. Affirmative action is far from “fair” but it is a good starting point for our country.

Considering we are the leaders of “the free world”, yet in 1994, after spending 27 years in prison Nelson Mandela was elected president of South Africa in a democratic election, before the United States of America elected an African American into office in 2008. The media has embellished the racial differences and lack of understanding to fuel ratings, advertisement profits and newspaper sales. For years the New York Post has repeatedly printed inflammatory comments and articles about the African American community and any affluent African American. Conversely with on air news reporters such as Bill O’Reilly spewing racial verbal attacks on Fox News it is no surprise President Barack Obama is our first African American President.

However, in fact he is our first multicultural president. It was well over 200 years ago when we had our nations first president George Washington a white slave owner and one of the drafters of the Constitution of the United States. Equality for all of our nations people was far from their minds. Equality for all rich white men was what their primary objective in drafting those documents was.

Even in the last few decades there have been attacks against different racial groups in the United States, in addition to African American church burnings. Although times are changing and equality is coming about, there are many inequalities that exist. Without affirmative action laws we as a nation would not be getting better. As long as we need to ask if affirmative action is fair, we need it.

There are so many diverse groups in America today, yet many of them are still fighting for their rights and freedom. Those same rights and freedoms that are freely granted to white people, just ask any homosexual if they feel affirmative action laws are needed. Their perspective will be far different from those who feel it is no longer needed.