QUESTION 1

Read out the case “Driving for Old Dominion” with reference to employee discrimination.
Answer the questions given at the end of case.

Question of the case: Was the fact Deborah Merritt did not pass the physical ability test sufficient
justification for firing her? Did Old Dominion Freight Line discriminate unjustly against Merritt?
If you think firings her was unjust discrimination, then was it individual or institutionalized
discrimination? Explain your answers.

The fact that Deborah Merritt did not pass the physical ability test is sufficient
justification for firing her. The utmost reason here is injustice between male and female workers.
Is true that Merritt had injured and the doctor also state that she still can perform her job, but
taking the physical test like new worker is unfair to her. She already is one of the company
employee and she did very well her job before. As we can view, earlier case regarding a male
employee that was injured during working did not to perform physical ability test. This shows
that the company is practice discrimination on female worker.
Old Dominion Freight Line did discriminate unjustly against Merritt. Although she is the
one of five female worker that work for the company. She still treated same like other worker
without any special treatment. The company shows the discrimination unjustly when she got the
job in Pickup and Delivery, but she would on be probation for ninety days and she would lose
the job if she had any performance problem. Unluckily, she was injured her ankle while doing
her job. The company makes her to do the physical test that which rarely been done and only
when hiring new worker. She lost her job even though she not having any performance problem.
Firing Merritt can consider as unjust discrimination under individual discrimination. This
individual discrimination consists of the discriminatory act or acts of one or a few individuals
acting on their own and so has a one-time or limited effect. Because we do not know either other
female worker is having hard time same with Merritt or is only she having this unfairness
situation. From this situation, we only can see the discrimination towards Merritt, starting from
she want to replace for the Pickup and Delivery. It can be seen that she was approved to replace
the vacancy with the requirement. It is bias when she did the job well and not having any

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performance problem unless the injured in her ankle during the job. She was fired because of
illogical reason.

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QUESTION 2

Compare and Contrast the main arguments used to support affirmative action programs. Do you
agree or disagree with these arguments? If you disagree with an argument, state clearly which
part of argument is wrong and explain why it is wrong (It is not enough to say, “I just don’t think
it is right.”).

Affirmative action is legal when used to correct a racial or sexual imbalance that is result
of previous discrimination. It helps disadvantaged people who come from areas of the country
where there are not very many opportunities be able to advance where they otherwise could not.
In other words, it gives everyone an equal playing field. Affirmative action is a way to help
compensate for the fact that, due to many years of oppression, some races "started late in the
race." Again, it helps level the playing field. I disagree with these arguments because affirmative
action is overall bias.
Numerous devotee of affirmative action claim that it is a good thing and it brings up
those of inferior class and gives them a chance to have a better life. This in fact is not so, “Take,
for instance, the claim that racial preferences help the “disadvantages”. In reality, as the Hoover
Institution’s Thomas Sowell has observed, preferences primarily benefit minority applicants
from middle- and upper-class backgrounds (The Case Against Affirmative Action).” This has
baffled numerous individuals of lower class in light of the fact that the schools just offer this
chance to the individuals who can bear the cost of school all alone and are of center and
privileged families. Essentially, incidentally, a demonstration that should clear the prejudice in
acknowledgment to universities has in certainty made more rejection than there was before
inside the minorities.
A few people that bolster governmental policy regarding minorities in society assert that
it levels a playing field that is tilted towards the individuals who made it. In Reverse Racism, or
How the Pot Got to Call the Kettle Black, a really intense articulation is made to counter this
colloquialism. “It is undemocratic to give one class of citizen advantages at the expense of other
citizens; the truly democratic way is to have a level playing field to which everyone has access
and where everyone has a fair and equal chance to succeed on the basis of merit. This

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announcement is to a degree an outline on why affirmative action regarding minorities in society
is out of line.
Despite the fact that it has been said that the playing field is unlevel, that is a relative
articulation and is easy to refute. Through this, it is anything but difficult to detect the
undemocratic methods for the demonstration and how the over-incorporation of minorities
prompts to the rejection of whites. Affirmative action regarding minorities in society influences
me actually in light of the fact that it makes my odds of getting acknowledged into a college
littler. The supporters and condoners of governmental policy regarding minorities in society lift
up those of different races and genders, and thus push down the individuals who are Caucasian
and male. The majority of the benefits that I accomplish are swung to nothing. If I somehow
managed to contend with an African-American lady for a spot in school, and we had equivalent
GPA's and SAT scores, I most likely would not be conceded. Affirmative action regarding
minorities in society is out of line since it rebuffs the present era of whites, instead of the era that
treated blacks so inadequately. “Why me? Sure, discrimination has persisted for many years, and
I acknowledge that the damage done has not been removed by changes in the law. But why me? I
didn’t own slaves; I didn’t vote to keep people on the back of the bus…. (Atlantic Magazine)” .
The announcement is a true blue protest. It is difficult to control the activities of one's
predecessors.
Moreover, numerous whites did not have family in America amid the season of bondage
in America, so constructing governmental policy regarding minorities in society with respect to
this musing is simply cliché and to some degree bigot itself. Affirmative action regarding
minorities in society is uncalled for in light of the fact that it advances prejudice. The bonds
between the races will separate as the particular treatment proceeds. “… the stress on ‘diversity’
has made interracial interaction strained and superficial…(The Case Against Affirmative
Action)”. The drive and accentuation that has been put on assorted qualities has in actuality
counterly affected individuals and has created significantly more racial pressure than what
already existed. It is practically similar to compelling two individuals to wind up companions, or
a man constraining themselves into a gathering of companions despite the fact that they have
distinctive interests and identities; it basically won't work. In the event that this keeps on
happening, the issues among the races won't be determined, yet simply distraught greater and far

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more regrettable through more prejudice. The demonstration causes an unending battle between
the races that has no odds of halting.
Affirmative action regarding minorities in society is unjustifiable in light of the fact that
it is not justify based, but rather about qualities. There is no way to avoid it, race is a trademark.
Race is a similar thing that is on your application that you rise in and ought not be a figure one's
acknowledgment into a school. A perfect example of the wrongs that occur is in a letter sent out
to a white applicant on being rejected at Harvard University, “…we give extra points to
minorities…. We do this to encourage diversity on campus and have a student body with a wide
range…. Because of these extra points, someone who is from and underrepresented group has
been admitted over you, despite having (a lower GPA and SAT test score).” The individual got
rejected from the school he needed to go as a result of his racial status, despite the fact that he
had a fantastic transcript. Besides, he was picked over by a minority with a lower test score than
he, something more than unjustifiable—yet is wrongdoing. Numerous trust that minorities
convey extra things to the table since they are minorities, “The underlying assumption—that only
minorities can add certain ideas or perspectives—is offensive not merely because it is untrue but
also because it implies that all minorities think a certain way (The Case Against Affirmative
Action).” The claim that minorities have diverse musings is divided to white guys as well as to
minorities themselves. By utilizing them for higher considering, it resembles treating them like
something exploratory like outsiders.
In general, I trust that governmental policy regarding minorities in society is
unreasonable. I believe it's incredible that differences are being instated in colleges, yet it ought
not be founded to the detriment of any one gathering. I trust that the white man is the objective
and adversary, which is reasonable, yet maybe not the present era ought to be faulted. The
demonstrations of one's family line are outside their ability to control, and minorities ought not
get inclination over those whose progenitors could possibly have carried on inadequately. I trust
that trying to make balance, the United States, through governmental policy regarding minorities
in society, has made a greater number of issues than arrangements. The United States needs to
evacuate governmental policy regarding minorities in society and let things play out reasonably.