To the Daily:

I see affirmative action as another form of discrimination. It only allows a percentage of a certain ethnicity to be accepted, at either jobs or higher-learning institutions. Which means that those from certain groups are skipped over even though they are more qualified or would be better for an organization or institution because of the color of their skin or what their ethnic makeup is. As Adero Fleming put it: "Justice is where every person, regardless of color, creed or ethnicity is judged equally on their characteristics, without having to worry about racism" ("Groups rally for affirmative action," 10/13/95).

Racism, discrimination occurs every day in every walk of life. I shouldn't have to worry that although I am highly qualified for something, I will lose that spot due to my ethnic makeup to someone who may not be as qualified as I am. If I don't get a spot because the other person was better then me, I can accept that. Everybody has the exact same opportunities but those who want them will most likely get them.

As an example: I applied to the University of California at Berkeley. I didn't get in because they wanted a more diverse cultural population on campus. That is exactly what the rejection letter said to me. I was discriminated against because of affirmative action. Let me refer you back to a court case back in 1978 where a student sued the regents of the University of California because he didn't get in because of the color of his skin. He won and went to Berkeley. If they did not have affirmative action I would have gotten into Berkeley. We have anti-discrimination laws. You can't discriminate on basis of color, race, creed, sex, sexual orientation, etc. This is exactly what affirmative action is doing, violating anti-discrimination laws on the basis of one's color, race, creed, sex, nationality. If they have too many whites they exclude you, if they have too many blacks they exclude you, if they have too many Chinese they exclude you, if they have too many Southeast Asians they exclude you, if they have too many ... they exclude you.

People need to stop giving "special" opportunities to people when those people should be going after their own dreams and goals with their own merit. I've worked hard to get where I am at and wherever I go I will work hard to succeed.

I don't want institutions to have to accept candidates for positions because a law states they must have a certain percentage of their population to be a certain ethnicity, race, color or creed.

I want them to accept those candidates based on merit and ability not on race, color, ethnicity.

Adam Thodey

Engineering senior