Young Americans for Freedom and the College Democrats tackled the topic of affirmative action on campus in an hour-long debate last night -- concluding that they would agree to disagree.
In his opening remarks to a largely conservative crowd, Robert Jones, YAF debater, said affirmative action is actually "legal racism" -- basing students on race, sex or religion rather than merit.
Jones (senior-computer science) cited a Stanford University undergraduate who applied to Harvard University Law School and was rejected. Several days after he received his denial letter, admissions officials called saying they had made a mistake, Jones said, adding that the admissions officials did not realize he was black.
"That is racism . . . conforming to stereotypes in the name of racism," Jones said. YAF supports integration rather than segregation -- citing affirmative action as an example of segregation, he said.
In order to move the University toward integration, Jones said he would stop creating minority organizations -- such as Black Caucus and Latino Caucus -- and replace them with "groups with common cultural bonds." This action would encourage other races to become involved, he said.
"I would support groups that share a common interest," Jones said.
Although Tom Magner, College Democrats debater, noted that affirmative action is not a perfect policy, he stressed that it ensures that women and minorities are given a more equal opportunity for a college education.
But Chris Prybyla, another YAF debater, said a college education is a privilege -- not a right granted to every American.
"The problem lies in personal drive," Prybyla (freshman-administration of justice) said. Minorities and women are not as motivated to work hard because of the affirmative action incentive, he said.
College Democrats President Andrew Kreider said students and potential students fear that minorities are given money and incentives when they do not deserve these awards -- but only 4 percent of scholarship money is race-based.
Affirmative action serves to help some people move up -- not to pull others down, Kreider said.
"For anyone who has taken Soc. 1 -- we are born with an ascribed status that determines how far we will go in life," said Kreider, a newly-elected Undergraduate Student Government town senator. "I don't think it is a lack of motivation."
