Proponents of affirmative action argue that affirmative action is
             necessary to create a "level playing field" for all Americans because it is
             a way of redressing discrimination that persists in spite of civil rights
             laws and constitutional guarantees. Minorities and females still don't
             make as much money as men do and we live in a society that often has
             difficulty accepting individuals with different race, color, religion, sex,
             or national origin. "Operational needs" often present cases when
             affirmative action is required for effective job performance. One example
             of "operational needs" is a police force which has to interact with the
             community. Officers who belong to the same ethic group as neighborhood
             residents can function more effectively because of the hostilities and
             suspicions that often exist between members of different ethic groups.
             However, affirmative action really is all about quotas rather than
             eliminating race as a factor in the decision making process. And, quotas
             are unconstitutional because they violate the equal protection clause of
             the 14th Amendment, equal protection under the law. The benefactors of
             affirmative action are predominately middle and upper class individuals
             that don't need any special treatment. "The most under-represented group
             of Americans at the nation's top colleges and colleges isn't blacks or
             Hispanics, but students from lower-income families." Even the Center for
             Equal Opportunity is opposed to affirmative action because it has been such
             an unfair windfall for wealthy minorities that are finding ways to take
             advantage of the system as summarized below:
             "According to the Code of Federal Regulations: "Individuals who
             certify that they are members of named groups (Black, Hispanic, Native
             American, Asian-Pacific, Sub-continental-Asian) are to be considered
             socially and economically disadvantaged." Unde...