I am glad Stacey Mattson took time to reassert every misconception of affirmative action in her letter, "State shouldn't judge people on differences" (SN 3/27), if for no other reason than to prove just how wrong opponents to affirmative action are. Affirmative action policies are largely misunderstood and Mattson draws attention to the most common misconceptions.

For one, affirmative action policies are not permission to treat citizens differentially on the basis of race; they are permission to take race into consideration in hiring and application practices. Affirmative action allows employers to provide equal opportunity for qualified individuals.

This means that when two candidates of equal merit are applying for the same job, the employer might choose to hire a person of minority status with the understanding that diversity is of a compelling interest to his or her company.

In fact, in the Supreme Court case, Grutter v. Bollinger, the court upheld the University of Michigan Law School's admissions process, which takes race into account. The exact words "compelling interest" were used in discussion of race and the university environment.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was indeed an important and necessary piece of legislation, but in no way does affirmative action demean the goals of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Both pieces are meant to level the playing field for those who are often at a severe disadvantage due to the consistently racist nature of modern society.

The most appalling point Mattson makes, however, is in her presentation of the Heilman, Block and Lucas study of 1992, supposedly proving the harmful impact of affirmative action for women and minorities. The "less competent" perceptions of women and minorities the study discusses is in direct relation to the insecurity white men feel at having a bit of their white privilege chipped away.

For centuries, and even still today, white men dominate our power structures. Now, with affirmative action policies solidly in place in many institutions, white men no longer possess the entirety of our nation's power.

Although we still have a long way to go, and affirmative action isn't entirely perfect, the solution is not to demonize the policy. We all need to take the time to examine our own privileges. Until we are all capable of realizing the importance of preserving opportunity for all, we must remain in firm support of affirmative action. In the words of the great former President Bill Clinton, "Mend it, don't end it."

Em Ketterer
social relations junior