PrintAugust 3, 2005
Asian Americans and Affirmative Action
As a civil rights activist and Republican Cabinet member, Arthur Fletcher had a long and distinguished career as an advisor to Republican Presidents from Richard Nixon to George H.W Bush. Fletcher, who died last month at the age of 80, was known as the 'Father of Affirmative Action' from his pioneering work as Assistant Secretary of Labor during the late 1960s.
As executive director of the United Negro College Fund in the mid—1970s, he was credited with coining the slogan, 'A mind is a terrible thing to waste.' For college—bound Asian—American students, it's a catchphase that serves as an ironic reminder of his Affirmative Action legacy.
In today's highly—competitive college admissions environment, many Asian—American students are discovering that Affirmative Action and other race—based quota systems are wreaking havoc on their higher education plans. For some time now, Asian—American students have been subject to...(Read Full Article)
