Is affirmative action blinding colleges and universities? While colleges and universities push vigorously for racial equality, they are creating a bigger problem than they are solving. Colleges and universities are attempting to address inequality by offering scholarships and opportunities to certain races. In other words, colleges and universities are attempting to solve inequality through inequality. Although some states have banned affirmative action, the Supreme Court has yet to take a firm stand for or against it. President John F. Kennedy issued an executive order in 1961 that government contractors should take affirmative action to prevent race, religion, and national origin. to have precedence in how they are treated and used. President Lyndon B. Johnson expanded on this issue with an executive order in 1965 prohibiting discriminatory practices by public and government-contracted companies, including public colleges and universities (oeod.uci.edu). Do some social and economic injustices still exist between African Americans and whites? Yes, but the gaps that these inequalities are producing are closing or have already closed in most cases, so these diminishing or shrinking inequalities should not give colleges and universities the right to select prospective students based on race. Colleges and universities should focus on becoming intellectually diverse, not ethnically diverse. By limiting the ethnicity of accepted applicants, universities and colleges are depriving themselves of many people who could provide positive change to the college. Many organizations and colleges will offer scholarships to certain ethnicities or genders. College Prowler, a website designed to find scholarships, will allow you to ... middle of paper ......“ disadvantages that often hinder opportunities to earn the badges that help students "win" at the game of admissions. " Even if Onwuachi-Willig is right, I don't see why special opportunities should be given to a specific race. A USA Today writer describes an "indirect method" that would help those who truly need it. income helps all races, avoiding unnecessary aid to wealthy applicants simply because they belong to minorities” (USA Today) This solution provides help to people who really need it, people who cannot afford college. Affirmative action has begun with President Kennedy's executive order and has since rippled into many aspects of our lives. While this executive order was sorely needed at the time, in 1961, it is no longer the best solution if America is to be truly socially and. economically equal..