Affirmative Action: The Solution

The first step in the recovery of the descendants of the oppressed in this country is to acknowledge that the war for equal rights has been won. The second step is for each individual to discover the value of his own life and to live it to the best of his ability. To set his own goals and to achieve them. To define himself. To achieve his self-esteem. To bury “what was” in favor of capitalizing on “what is.”

The problem of discrimination against “perceived minorities” within our society is philosophical and ethical. As chairman of the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity, my first directive would address the cause of discrimination: collectivism-altruism.

Education in Objectivism and Individualism is the only moral, non-coercive remedy to collectivism, tribalism, racism, sexism, homophobia. Objectivists recognize only the existence of human individuals. Skin color is as irrelevant as hair color. Sexual orientation is nobody’s business. The fact that there are two genders serves the practical purpose of propagation of the species [and to make four years of high school interesting], but has nothing to do with the rights of individuals. Both men and women are free and equal individuals. Culture—i.e. language, religion, etc., is a matter of individual choice and preference. Cultures, ethnic groups don’t have rights. Cultural preferences do not determine one’s identity and in most cases [food, music, dance, festivals, and holidays] cultural differences cannot be objectively evaluated, determining one culture to be superior to another. Some aspects of culture can be objectively evaluated, and it is important to note that not all cultures are equal. For example, any culture that systematically violates the rights of individuals, like women in Muslim cultures, is immoral and need never be accepted by civilized societies.

If the goal of Executive Order 10925 is to make sure that “hiring and employment practices are free of racial bias,” to accomplish this goal each individual must accept the fact that there is no such thing as black rights, or women’s rights, Hispanic rights, gay rights, or any kind of minority rights. There are only individual rights. Blacks, women, Hispanics, and gays are all individuals with precisely the same rights.

As chairman I would begin by educating the public about the rights of individuals to qualify for and apply for jobs. I would remind those tasked with the responsibility of hiring workers that race, ethnicity, and gender neither qualify nor disqualify any individual from any job. I would consider my mandate a mandate to educate and persuade Americans to affect positive change, to take the purely rational and selfish action of hiring the most qualified applicants, accept the most qualified students.

Justice requires the categorical rejection of immoral force, affirmative action, in any quantity. Justice requires rejection of “strict scrutiny” on the basis that any quantity of immoral force is unacceptable in a just society. Justice requires rejection of racist, diversity arguments and collectivism in all of its forms.

Philosophical and ethical reform will work to end discrimination in this country, eventually. Results will take a generation or two to achieve. For many, that is simply too long to wait. Today’s remedy—affirmative action and immoral force—is worse than the disease. May I suggest an interesting experiment?

Colleges and universities across the country may opt to utilize a blind admissions process. Students fill out college applications using only their Social. Rather than submit an essay addressing one’s personal goals and qualifications, applicants would submit their ACT writing score. Even the name of the applicant’s high school can be encoded. Students would receive a rating on participation in extracurricular activities from their high schools, a rating devoid of any specific reference to the kinds of clubs and activities. Anything that might give the admissions board any hint of the applicant’s race, ethnicity, or gender, would be omitted or encoded. Admissions decisions would be made on the basis of achievement only. Universities across the country would find out on the first day of class the make-up of their student body.

Blind application and interview process for employment…hum?