Positive Discrimination (AKA, Why Affirmative Action Should Be Banned)

If the Supreme Court decides for gay marriage and against race-based affirmative action, my 2013 will be made.

I’m sure anyone who has read my blog for more than a week knows how I feel about gay marriage. Affirmative action, on the other hand, I haven’t addressed. Maybe it’s because I’m in the midst of college admissions season, or maybe it’s because I’m feeling frustrated from a lack of sleep, but the absolute unfairness of affirmative action – and the fact that so few are saying anything about it – drives me to publish this post.

I hear people say all the time that race-based affirmative action is supposed to ameliorate past injustices. That’s almost completely inaccurate – instead of healing past wounds, it’s opening new ones. Statistics show that Asian-Americans, and to a lesser extent, Caucasians, are disadvantaged in the college admissions process solely because of their race.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Cover via Goodreads

Rating: 3.5/5 stars.

I liked this book a lot. I liked the authentic voice, southern setting, and complex characters. I didn’t love anything about it – maybe because I read it during a busy time, maybe because some of the aspects of the story were difficult to get into, like the Black Madonna. Sue Monk Kidd handled the race issue well though, which ultimately led me to liking the book more than disliking it.

Recommended for those who like female power stories (feminism in general, I guess) and books written with a strong southern voice.