First there was the 5-4 Supreme Court decision that Affirmative Action, at least for now, could remain a policy; then there was the ingenious Boston College Republicans whites-only scholarship and now Tufts University’s controversial remake of a Christmas carol which, while not proposing any reforms of its own, manages to disparage Affirmative Action.

I am a black male, a member of the middle-class and I am amongst a minority when it comes to higher education. I support Affirmative Action not because of the qualities I listed but because I see it for what it is: an attempt, albeit imperfect, to counter years of institutionalized racism that has kept a portion of this society behind. Affirmative Action, like all policies created by man, is not and cannot be perfect. But rather than disparaging it, rather than assuming that all minorities and women in higher education got there because of this policy, I challenge readers to research the policy, take a history course that focuses on minorities in America, and then tell me that Affirmative Action is not needed.

To Boston College’s College Republicans, while I admire your attempt to bring attention to the topic of Affirmative Action, you went about it the wrong way. What is needed, if anything at all, is a debate on the issue, not a scholarship that implicitly is denied to other races. To the Tufts University carolers, I urge you to rethink such controversial and divisive initiatives. Not all the incoming 50 plus minority students have grades of Cs, Ds and Fs as you stated. My suggestion? Stop personalizing the issue, do some research into it and if after that you still disagree- fine, but then you can at least debate intelligently without emotions clouding your logic.

-Ahmed Danso-Faried is a sophomore criminal justice major, NBSA e-board member, and SGA representative