Backfire: A Reporter's Look at Affirmative Action (Hardcover)

by Robert Zelnick (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Zelnick, a reporter for ABC News, obviously shares the opinion of many middle-class white Americans that affirmative action, however good its intentions, has helped foster racial animosity and inequal opportunity. Zelnick writes sharply, even angrily, about his own observations of affirmative action at work. If America is moving toward a consensus that affirmative action has outlived its usefulness, then this attack underscores the resentment driving that movement.

From Publishers Weekly
Among the recent spate of books critical of affirmative action, ABC correspondent Zelnick's book?which concentrates on the policy's effects on blacks?is one of the most sweeping. Many such programs may involve unfairness or dishonesty, and Zelnick forcefully criticizes race-norming (the practice of developing a separate list of minority applicants for a given job), disingenuous attempts to diversify university admissions and set-asides for minority contractors. Exceeding his announced focus on affirmative action, Zelnick takes on related issues like self-segregation in campus housing, "tracking" in high school and the maintenance of historically black universities. In only a few chapters, however, does Zelnick propose constructive alternatives: critiquing set-aside programs, he suggests special training in business techniques and financial strategies for aspiring contractors; discussing mortgage statistics, he recommends a more mechanical "credit scoring" process to minimize any chance of loan-officer bias. Zelnick acknowledges that, at best, affirmative action can only serve as a rough tool for the redress of racial injustice and for correcting the nation's underlying race-consciousness. Given his righteous tone of criticism, however, and his failure to propose visionary alternatives to affirmative action, readers will be better served by Richard Kahlenberg's The Remedy (Forecasts, April 22).
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 415 pages
• Publisher: Regnery Publishing, Inc.; 1St Edition edition (August 25, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0895264552
• ISBN-13: 978-0895264558
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,961,322 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting review of AA policies in practice, March 9, 1999

By A Customer

The author performs a credible job of reviewing many of the common problems associated with the implementation of Affirmative Action. Unfortunately, he fails to adequately demonstrate why these policies could not have produced any other results. For a more intellectual discussion on why discrimination (rather than racism, sexism, etc.) is difficult to maintain in a capitalist society, read Nobel Prize Winner (Economics) Gary Becker's The Economics of Discrimination. James Bovard's Farm Fiasco is an example of why the policies used in Affirmative Action fail whenever they are applied, whether the "problem" to be resolved is race, ethnicity, and gender or occuptional (farmers receiving subsidies, protection from competition, etc.).

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Affirmative Action Debate Overwhelms Author, November 20, 2000

By	David Thomson "Second Rate Eric Hoffer Imitator" (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Bob Zelnick and I agree that affirmative action as often practiced in the real world causes much inadvertent harm. Abstract principles may look good on paper, but fail miserably when acted upon. He offers us numerous horror stories that should legitimately enrage us. Zelnick takes to task the hypocrisy of the major corporations who readily advocate affirmative policies knowing full well it cost them little in doing so. The firms truly paying the price are mostly small to mid size business entities. Nevertheless, I still maintain that fair minded and well thought out affirmative action remedies can be beneficial. Zelnick conveniently ignores our nation's long established history of racial prejudice. He overlooks the cold fact that many white people have always made sure their relatives and friends received special consideration. There has always been a sort of affirmative action for the wealthy and powerful. Also, a minority person may be rejected for employment due to the tacit, if not explicit, bias of the company. People tend to choose their own kind. What should be done, for instance, about a business hesitant to hire an Afro-American individual to represent their services and products to its white customer base? In such an unfair environment, how can a minority candidate receive a fair break? Aren't we caught in a Catch 22 vicious cycle? There are no easy answers to this dilemma, but Zelnick refuses to look at the other side of this most important debate. Absolutist positions are far easier for us to handle, but this mind set may distort the actual ambiguity and complexity of the situation.

A real crisis, however, develops when affirmative action is used to give an advantage to the less qualified. How can a rational person justify the hiring of shabbily qualified minority policemen merely to comply with affirmative action mandates? The sports world suits up only its best players for the game. Long ago even the most racist sports organizations abandoned their prejudices because they were beginning to lose too many contests to integrated teams. Self preservation sometimes motivates one to do the right thing. Why abandon the principle that only the best be chosen when the conversation turns towards the business sector and academics? Why can't we be consistent? Zelnick's book serves the purpose of meticulously detailing the injustices of some Liberal conceived affirmative action policies. Do you require such documentation? If so, you should obtain a copy of Zelnick's book. I cannot, however, recommend it on any other level. Zelnick candidly subtitled his book as "A Reporter's Look at Affirmative Action." A journalist perspective alas does not suffice. This national discussion requires the attention of its social philosophers. Zelnick is not up to the task.