In an effort to appease many friends who had been nagging me to utilize the services of Delicious.com, I visited the website only to discover an innovative approach to finding research through a large community of people that actively bookmark topics, articles, books, etc. of interest. Impressed by the sense of an online community, I began to investigate several users; one user in particular had an impressive list of academic and scholarly bookmarks that mirrored not only topics of interest that have been or will be discussed on AOAG, but also reflects stance that I take on each of these related topics. Known as HispanicPundit, this user has compiled ample respectable articles pertaining to affirmative action, specifically in the admissions process.
The username HispanicPundit immediately caught my attention. A Pundit, being a scholar who offers a reasoned opinion on a particular subject area, combined with the word Hispanic at first eluded to a staunch supporter of affirmative action and the type of raging liberal that blames George Bush for everything that is wrong with this country from the current recession to the Civil War. But my first impression of HispanicPundit could not have been any more wrong. Almost all of their bookmarks take a strong conservative approach to the many social problems that society is currently faced with, affirmative action being one of them. It is always comforting to find conservatives that are not afraid to speak their mind; which is extremely rare in a society that demonizes those that fail to adhere to the naïve “save the world” liberal ideology.
To start, each of the many bookmarks contains a brief comment summarizing the content of the article. Additionally, the user has several additional tags under each bookmark, further divulging the main focus of the article. Between the summary, additional tags, and the title of the article, the reader can reasonably infer what the article has to offer and whether or not it is relevant to what they are looking for. This helpful information directly led me to numerous amazing articles and several unbelievable blogs and websites.
The first website that I am now a daily viewer of is entitled News Flavor. This colorful website addresses the many hot topics that American society is presently faced with: the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Health Care Reform, the struggling Stock, Bond, and Money markets, to name a few. Each article on News Flavor somehow avoids the typical excessively intellectual vocabulary and historical references that cause confusion and inferiority in young readers. One article in specific that I really enjoyed was entitled “Affirmative Action” by Dessy Wildwood. Beginning with a brief introduction of the history of Affirmative Action, the article quickly moves through the immediate consequences of preferential treatment within the realm of academic admissions. Then the article became very thought provoking when it delved into the future effects of affirmative action and how that relates the job market and the economy as a whole. Another aspect of this post that greatly legitimized its authority to me was its abundant use of quotes on affirmative action. One in particular that I found to be a unique approach to the topic was one said by Dr. Martin Luther King. He once stated,
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Using the words of the leader of the Civil Rights Movement and one of the greatest minds this world has ever seen makes it difficult to support affirmative action.
A very stimulating blog I discovered because of HispanicPundit’s bookmarks is named Carpe Diem. Dr. Mark Perry, a professor of economics and finance at the University of Michigan, authors this blog. Like News Flavor, Carpe Diem equates the effects of affirmative action to the real world, the business world. Although affirmative action can be frustrating when you are not accepted to the top school of your choice, it’s damaging consequences have far reaching implications that extend far beyond the academic experience. An article from Carpe Diem that I enjoyed was titled "More Affirmative Action: Fewer Black Attorneys and Fewer Black College Grads." This post provides statistical data that contradicts the claim that affirmative action truly benefits the minorities it is aimed at helping. The statistics paradoxically display that with an increase in law school affirmative action acceptances, there is a decrease in affirmative action lawyers or even law school graduates.
Thanks to Delicious.com, I have been able to discover and explore many new avenues in the topic of affirmative action. A large part of this research success is because of the thorough and scholarly work of HispanicPundit, who has bookmarked nearly 40 posts that solely pertain to affirmative action and will greatly enhance the content of AOAG. I have most definitively found my Social Bookmarking Soul Mate. HispanicPundit, whoever and wherever you are, thank you for your refreshing voice in a generation starved of originality and honesty.
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