Affirmative Action and Politics: In Who’s Best Interest?

The photograph above was taken in 1970. I was seventeen years-old, had grown up in a poor family in rural Georgia with seven siblings, had spent my summers in the cotton fields since I was twelve, and did not have a clue as to how American politics would so profoundly impact my future.

In September 1970, I began my senior year in high school. Fate would have it that our county finally would give in to federal law and move to desegregate the public schools. For the first time in my life, I had found myself being around, getting to know, and having full conversations with people who did not look like me.

During my senior year in high school, I was elected as the President of the first integrated senior class in Dooly County Georgia school history. I graduated Valedictorian of my class and dreamed of becoming an electrical engineer.

To fast-forward this essay, below are two photographs of me. The first as a Motorola Vice President at the age of 39 and the second is a photograph of me after I retired from corporate America in 2010 as the Head of Data Center Management for the Wells Fargo Bank and had successfully authored and published thirteen self-help books on Leadership and Professional Development.

I know that my story is just one anecdote. But most likely an anecdote similar to those of many of the over 42-million African Americans who are currently 65-years old and have significantly contributed to America's economic, civic and societal growth since September 24, 1965?--- when President Lyndon B. Johnson issued Executive Order 11246, prohibiting employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, and national origin.

However, as I have been listening to the various national narratives surrounding the June 29, 2023, Supreme Court decision regarding the use of Affirmative Action in college and university admissions in the United States, and framing my own thoughts on the unsurprising decision (from this particular Supreme Court), I have landed on a one-word explanation.

?I strongly and astutely believe that it's the “one-word” ?explanation that tens of millions of well-educated Americans would personally and professionally agree with, but not publicly admit. These are knowledgeable and influential Americans who are well aware that the idea of Affirmative Action was never about what was in the constitution. But about doing something to ?level the playing field for highly qualified candidates who were prohibited from employment and educational opportunities in 1965 due to being discriminated against simply because they were black.

The existence of such discrimination in today’s employment environment, 58-years later, ?is clearly supported by the facts. Of all the African American candidates who have met and often exceeded university admissions, data confirms that African Americans are only 5 percent of all lawyers, 5.7 percent of all doctors, 4.0 percent of all engineers and less than 1.0 percent of all certified accountants, while comprising 13 percent of the nation’s population.

The word is "Politics".

In terms of the narratives surrounding the June 29, 2023, Supreme Court decision regarding the use of Affirmative Action in college and university admissions, I believe the following insights should be an integral part of any sincere discussion involving Affirmative Action and its politics.

Just as I did not have a clue as to how American politics would so profoundly impact my future back in 1971, I now know that my merit, my intellect, my competitiveness, and my hard work was monumental in propelling my career success, but it was the politics of Affirmative Action that helped me break through the barriers of overt and unconscious discrimination.

I believe that we all should be?unselfishly aware?of the nature of today’s national and local politics, and the pivotal role that the?politics,?surrounding?public governance,?continue to play in shaping the?construct?of the American society and its?humanity.

Conservative, Liberal, Independent, Left, or Right...regardless of your leaning, the reality is that American politics in the 21st century has been and still is all about?losers?and?winners.

Unfortunately, this politically manufactured reality, has successfully established a mindset in a significant plurality of Americans, who now honestly believe that “the truth,” “political compromise,” and “in the public interest” are political weaknesses.

Because of the nature of American politics today, the operative question regarding any political decision in America will always be, “In who's best interest?"