Good discusion so far.I really think if you work hard and show everyone that you can do it, there is no barriers to overcome in this country. I understand we overcome so much of racism and hatred but we are better off compare to each year that passes us. also there is a little bit of racism to fight on the government run programs and our school system which need complete overhaul.other than that we are fine.

Amen AharonW. I'm black too and detest AA. I'm almost in the same boat as you (good grades, low income family) and my mom can't afford to send me to the top universities except for Maryland. It would suck to have people look at you and think that you're only to fill a quota instead of your merit. I really hope AA either gets a major overhaul or is fully done away with.

I do agree that it is possible that Affirmative Action may be antiquated, however even though it is still 2009 there is no guarantee that employers will not hire someone based on performance. There is still the very real possibility that employers and those reviewing admissions may have some biased. I am not saying that is the case with all employers, however, for those that do fit into that category, how will they be held accountable?

Having a non white president doesn't make racism go poof. Racism is built directly into our education and judicial system. AA was intended to combat that ground. The law makes not a bit of difference, it's the people whom enact, enable and define the law. Programs make little to know sense if nothing, in the long run, is done to combat racism as it is being planted and inherited by people.

I am an Africn American make who is a junior in high school and I currently have a 3.87 G.P.A. and I am third in my class and among the top 50 in my school district. I also do many other extra curriculars and leadership groups. I also come form a low income family, a single mother who has had to raise my brother and I on her own. Of course times are hard, especially in this economic crisis and college based on my mother's income would seem impossible. I work my rear end off in school in order to get scholarships and accepted to exceptional universities, I ahve always been aware of affirmative action but I did not allow it to apply to me. I know I am technically apart of the social minority by being African American, and it was in my favor when applying to colleges, however I did not fully agree with it. The reason is because I would feel if I were to get accepted into a really good school then my hard work would be overlooked and it would be my race that gave me an edge over other students which is not right in my opinion due to ther being other students who could have worked just as hard as I did. But in this article I read about the Economic Affirmative Action which is a policy that I most certainly agree with. I feel that this policy would allow colleges to take a more in depth look at the student's academic, achievement and growth and as a person instead of their race. I also agree with the aspect of the colleges takling into account the student's income, education and occupation and so forth because despite the race, a person that is of a minority does not necessarily mean they are from a low income background. In addition to the economic Affirmative Action, I feel that the number of high school graduates from low income families who do no go to college will decrease. Such a policy could possibly alllow those who wish to recieve a higher education to get it and enable people to raise and express their potential and be the leaders of their own life and of society. So as far as the banning of Affirmative Action I am in favor and I would highly recommend the transition to the Economic Affirmative Action.