FYI Affirmative Action's goal is to
"...ban discrimination ...to take affirmative action to ensure that all individuals have an equal opportunity for employment, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or status as a Vietnam era or special disabled veteran."
In spirit, it is very much in line with what SlowToday is saying and makes a world of sense but in practice it is not executed too well.
For the record, i am a minority in the US and i do not believe in entitlements based on race, it breeds incompetence and complacency.
But i do believe in more public holidays, may i suggest Alan Greenspan Day