John O’Sullivan

Affirmative action in practice has become a system of institutionalized racism that practices the discrimination it is supposed to combat, argues John O’Sullivan in the following viewpoint. Its victims include whites and Asians who are denied jobs and college placements, women and minorities whose education and work achievements are viewed with suspicion and resentment, and minority college students who, having been admitted under a system of racial preferences, find themselves unable to complete their studies. Affirmative action has conferred no benefits to individuals or to American society, and should be abolished outright, he concludes. O’Sullivan is editor-at-large of National Review, a conservative magazine.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. How has the reach of affirmative action been expanded since its inception, according to O’Sullivan?
2. What does...