1.0<Tab/>The Thesis <Tab/>The issue of whether affirmative action is reverse discrimination is controversial. Before discussing arguments for and against the issue, one needs to understand the meaning of the statement. Affirmative action, Carroll and Buchholtz (2000, P. 534) defined it as "the taking of positive steps to hire and promote people from groups previously discriminated against." Shaw & Barry (2004, P.464) states that affirmative action "means programs …showed first 75 words of 2918 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2918 total…arose against affirmative action. 5.0<Tab/>Conclusion <Tab/>To conclude, I would say that affirmative action is definitely not reverse discrimination, and it is still needed in today's society, although it could hurt individuals in some circumstance. After all, affirmative action "is not an end in itself, but a means of dealing with a social situation that should be intolerable to us all." (Beauchamp & Norman, 2004, P. 342)