[IMC-Editorial] Letter on Supreme Court Afirmative-Action Rulings

[Ayn Rand Institute Media]

Dear Editor:

Monday's Supreme Court pro-affirmative-action decision represents one
of the lowest points in American judicial history. Although the
Court's rulings were somewhat convoluted--basically they said race can
be used but not too flagrantly--the bottom line is that they
affirmed the legitimacy of making race a factor in admission to public
universities and by implication to other institutions. This decision
represents an enormous betrayal of America's founding principles. We
are a nation founded on the concept of individualism, the doctrine
that each person is a sovereign entity, an end in himself, possessing
the same rights as every other citizen.

The affirmative action ruling undermines the principle of
individualism. It asserts that people have special rights because they
are members of a racial minority, thus elevating primitive tribalism
over individualism. The claim that racial "diversity"  is a proper
goal of an institution is wrong. The principle should be that the most
qualified individuals--without regard to race, ethnicity or any other
non-essential characteristic--are selected, whether the institution
involved is in the field of education, business or the military.
Selecting for diversity means endorsing racism--an ugly doctrine no
matter what its purpose. Racism in any form should be abhorred by
every American.


Sincerely,

Edwin A. Locke
Ayn Rand Institute
2121 Alton Parkway, #250
Irvine, CA  92606
United States
(818) 706-9361

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