Should the United States be Colorblind?

Research Paper: Instructor will provide three topics to choose from. You must choose one topic and comprise a research paper that addresses all of the questions posed in the topic. The research paper must be a minimum of 6 pages of content, title page and reference page. APA format must be followed. Minimum of 5 references required. Your textbook can be used as one reference. The textbook that needs to be referenced is Race, Ethnicity, Gender, & Class 8th edition

Many Americans believe that the way to finally get past the injustices of the past is to treat everyone exactly the same in schools, jobs, politics, and every other institution. This argument resonates strongly with fundamental American values and appeals to many as simple common sense: If we want to have a society in which only character matters—not race or skin color—we need to start treating people as individuals, not as representatives of groups.

From this “colorblind” point of view, programs such as affirmative action perpetuate rather than solve the problems of racial inequality in America. Several states have enacted, or considered, policies that would require all state agencies (including Universities) to ignore race and ethnicity in their decision-making processes (including college admissions and hiring for jobs). For example, in 2006, by an overwhelming margin, the voters of Michigan passed Proposition 2, which prevents state colleges and universities from taking account of race or ethnicity in admissions decisions. Proposition 2 was challenged by a number of parties and its constitutionality will be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2014.

How could anyone reasonably oppose a policy of equal treatment? What arguments can be raised against official colorblindness? Some people, a distinct minority of public opinion, believe that to ignore race is to perpetuate the inequalities of the past. Colorblindness perpetuates white privilege and dominance and does not lead to a more equal and open society. The only way to end racial inequality is to build programs and policies that take explicit notice of race and confer an affirmative advantage on blacks and on other colonized, marginalized groups. Without a strong program to force employers to balance their workforces and to require college admission programs to seek out qualified minority candidates, the racial status quo will be perpetuated indefinitely. In this opposed view, “colorblindness” is seen as a disguised form of prejudice, and a version of modern racism (see Chapter 3)