The Importance of Affirmative Action in AmericaAffirmative action is a hotly debated topic based on our government's efforts to overcome prejudicial treatment through inclusion. Affirmative action is one way to help minorities in our country find jobs and avoid racial injustice. Many large companies have increased minority employment after adopting these policies (Plous). Despite affirmative action efforts today, women still earn only 76 cents for every dollar earned by men. There are 1.3 million unemployed African American civilians and 112 million employed white civilians. Statistics show that “if every unemployed black worker in the United States were to replace a white worker, only 1% of whites would be affected” (Plous). There is a group of people called the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Inclusion and the Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) who are constantly fighting to defend their position. They believe we are struggling to determine whether our nation will move forward toward integration and equality or backward toward injustice. This group of people is very determined to maintain affirmative action in our government system today and affirms the fact that we are all brothers and sisters, skin color and religion do not matter ("Stop...). Opposing opinions on this topic are quite common everywhere in the United States. The University of Michigan has turned issues related to race and affirmative action policies into very important and controversial discussions. One article, entitled "United Against Affirmative Action", states: "Unfortunately, among the thoughtless invectives. by State Representative David Jaye and the hysterical rants of the aptly named Defense Coalition... middle of paper... a sizable number of minorities attend school, all with grades in the same range as the rest of the student population . Now, not all minorities in that range are eligible, only some (“How affirmative…). According to the Racial Privacy Initiative, “The State shall not classify by race, ethnicity, color, or national origin in the operation of public education , public procurement or public employment." This statement essentially says not to reject someone based on their race ("Racial...). So why is affirmative action allowed? Why do we, as Americans, need affirmative action to be used? Because it ensures that the minority population is not denied the right to education or work. Because there are racists out there, ones who may need this policy to tell them that what they have been taught to believe is truly unfair and illegal..