The downside of affirmative action

       "There's no free lunch" even applies to affirmative action.

            Bottom line, if an poorly qualified person gets promoted beyond his or her abilities, they all too often get frustrated when competing with their better qualified peers, and all too often blame their woes on the "system".  That's the downside of affirmative action.

            Of course there's an upside, too.  Think of the "diamond in the rough" idea, and very often affirmative action will allow that diamond to get polished, and the person, the community, and the country are better off for it.

            But, bottom line to me, is I want a doctor to be in his or her position for merit based reasons. Now that idea justifies trust, faith, and confidence.

            So for all those parents who push their kids in the academic area, I say good on ya. Now that is an alternative that appeals to me, and the sooner the better, I would add. And I recognize how much hard work comes from this alternative, but, again, I say good on ya!