Is it time to end affirmative action? California, Michigan, Washington, Florida, and Nebraska have banned its use in public education and hiring.

• Position: DEBATE

YES

America is dedicated to the principle of equal. treatment of all its citizens by government. The Declaration of Independence proclaims that all men are created equal, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires that all Americans be treated equally "without regard to their race, color, or national, origin."

Ironically, since the mid-1960s, this principle of equal, treatment has been largely ignored to compensate for the historic discrimination encountered by racial. minorities and women. These preferential, policies are known as affirmative action.

In a 2003 decision, the Supreme Court called affirmative action a system of racial. "preferences" and ruled that consideration of race must not continue indefinitely.

Surely, after the election of America's first black President, it is evident that America is committed to no longer judging individual.s on the basis of skin color.

High school, students applying to college and for jobs would be justifiably embittered if they were rejected because of the conditions of their birth--race, gender, or ethnicity. A civil, society and a prosperous nation should insist that individual, merit--that is, the particular qualifications of each individual--serves as the criterion for admission to college as well as hiring and promotion decisions in the workplace.

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For every person who benefits from preferences based on race rather than merit, someone else is unfairly denied that same opportunity. As someone who is often characterized as a "minority," I want to know--and I especially want others to know--that my accomplishments are the result of my own efforts.

Until. merit is the sole standard by which we are all judged, our country will remain divided. It is time to end affirmative action.

--WARD CONNERLY President, American Civil. Rights Coalition

NO

Affirmative action policies are vital tools for creating opportunity and developing a diverse workforce. We should not end them.

In November, Colorado voters rejected a ballot...