[Professor S]

I think at one point Affirmative Action was very necessary, but I think that point has come and gone and it does indeed do more harm than good. Now I think it simply implies that minorities cannot achieve without the help of well meaning white people. Personally I think that affirmative action can work without quotas, but quotas are counter productive and create resentment more than anything.

A bigger problem I think is that the the leaders of the civil rights movement have remained the same for nearly 30 years, and the fight has changed while the rhetoric hasn't. Bill Cosby is the most articulate proponent the belief that now minorities need to concentrate on rebuilding their communities and families that were damaged by segregationist policies of the 30's - 60's. There were several generation of poor minorities than grew up without fathers due to redistricting, progressive eugenics policies and red lining, and that kind of damage will take time to fix.