Part 2: Why Affirmative Action is Still Necessary: Confronting Systemic Barriers and Historical Injustices

In the second installment of our series on Affirmative Action, we shift our focus to the arguments underpinning its continued necessity. Proponents assert that the playing field is not yet level, and that systemic barriers and the long shadow of historical disadvantages continue to impede true equality of opportunity for racial minorities. This isn't about ignoring merit, but recognizing that merit is often stifled by deeply ingrained societal inequalities.

The Unseen Hurdles: Systemic Barriers

Imagine a race where some runners start with hurdles in their lanes while others have a clear path. This is the reality created by systemic barriers. These are not isolated incidents of prejudice, but rather institutionalized practices and policies that, while seemingly neutral on the surface, disproportionately disadvantage minority groups.

One stark example lies in the use of credit reports in employment. For many, a credit score is a reflection of financial responsibility. However, due to historical and ongoing economic disparities, minority communities often have lower credit scores. This can be a direct result of factors like predatory lending, lack of access to traditional banking, and a significant wealth gap that makes it harder to weather financial emergencies. When employers use credit history as a screening tool, they may be inadvertently filtering out qualified minority candidates who have been impacted by these systemic economic disadvantages, regardless of their ability to perform the job. This practice, known as having a "disparate impact," perpetuates a cycle of economic exclusion.

The Enduring Legacy of Redlining

To understand the present, we must look to the past. Redlining, a discriminatory practice that began in the 1930s, is a powerful and destructive example of how historical injustice continues to shape contemporary inequality. The federal government, through the Home Owners' Loan Corporation, created maps of cities and color-coded neighborhoods to indicate their perceived lending risk.

Neighborhoods with a significant minority population were systematically outlined in red, deeming them "hazardous" for investment. This meant that Black and other minority families were denied mortgages and other financial services, effectively preventing them from buying homes and building wealth in the same way that white families could.

The consequences of redlining have been devastating and long-lasting. Denied access to homeownership—the primary driver of wealth for most American families—generations of minorities were locked out of economic mobility. This government-sanctioned segregation led to underfunded schools, inadequate public services, and a concentration of poverty in these "redlined" communities. The effects are still visible today in the persistent racial wealth gap and the stark differences in resources and opportunities available in different neighborhoods.

The Unfinished Marathon

Proponents of affirmative action argue that simply outlawing discrimination is not enough to erase the deep-seated impact of centuries of slavery, segregation, and discriminatory practices like redlining. The starting lines for different racial groups were set at vastly different points, and the race to success is far from fair.

Affirmative action, in this context, is not about giving unqualified individuals an unfair advantage. It is a tool—a temporary and targeted measure—to counteract the ongoing effects of systemic barriers and historical disadvantages. It seeks to ensure that qualified individuals from all backgrounds have a fair shot at opportunities that have been historically and systematically denied to them.

The conversation around affirmative action is complex, but understanding the enduring power of systemic barriers and the long-lasting harm of practices like redlining is crucial. It reveals that the need for such policies is not a relic of the past, but a response to the very real and persistent inequalities of the present.