A Transparent Attempt at Moderation

The staff favors "affirmative action," as long as it doesn't actually help any people of color.

In its transparent attempt at moderation, the staff claims that it supports affirmative action but that it cannot stand by the program's misapplications. But if the staff considers the examples listed misapplications, it clearly has no idea what affirmative action is.

The admissions office should be praised for its flexibility and resolve in seeking out African American applicants. The staff has avoided dealing with the complexities of the issue by picking apart the serious attempts of faculty and students to diversify Harvard. The staff manages to attack the ends by critiquing the means.

Likewise, the staff somehow thinks that for Harvard to seek out Latino professors is "demeaning." A Latino professor at Harvard wouldn't be a token but a long-overdue pioneer. Was the first Black student to go to a white public school in the South a "token?".

Attitudes like those of the staff editorial help keep away deserving, qualified Black applicants and Latino professors. It's our loss.