---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Affirmative action ignores our society's…"
description: "\"Affirmative action ignores our society's real minorities - members of the disadvantaged classes, no matter what their race. We have this ludicrous bure..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d13/richard-rodriguez-6515_action_affirmative-action-ignores-our-society-s_2911298.jpg"
---

#  Affirmative action ignores our society's real minorities…

![“Affirmative action ignores our society's real minorities - members of the disadvantaged classes, no matter what their race. We have this ludicrous bureaucratic sense that certain racial groups, regardless of class, are minorities. So what happens is those &quot;minorities&quot; at the very top of the ladder…” quote by Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d13/richard-rodriguez-6515_action_affirmative-action-ignores-our-society-s_2911298.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d13/richard-rodriguez-6515_action_affirmative-action-ignores-our-society-s_2911298.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d13/richard-rodriguez-6515_action_affirmative-action-ignores-our-society-s_2911298.jpg)

> “Affirmative action ignores our society's real minorities - members of the disadvantaged classes, no matter what their race. We have this ludicrous bureaucratic sense that certain racial groups, regardless of class, are minorities. So what happens is those "minorities" at the very top of the ladder get chosen for everything.”

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He argues that affirmative action focuses on race over class, marginalizing economically disadvantaged groups.

**In simple terms:** Affirmative action may overlook class‑based minorities.

Key Takeaway

Consider class alongside race in policy.

Themes

social justice policy race class inequality

Mood

critical analytical controversial

Type

policy social race

When to use this quote

- education admissions
- workplace hiring
- government programs

Key Concepts

affirmative action social engineering economic disparity

Questions to Reflect On

- Should policies be re‑designed to address both race and class?
- How can we ensure fairness without creating new hierarchies?

A Different Perspective

Class‑based minorities may remain invisible.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Affirmative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirmative/) [Affirmative action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirmative-action/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Minorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minorities/) [Our society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-society/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/)

## Related quotes

> [I had no need to apologize that the look-wider, search-more affirmative action that Princeton and Yale practiced had opened doors for me. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-had-no-need-to-apologize-that-the-look-wider-search-more/)

[Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/)

> [My decision was sparked by affirmative action. There was a point in my life when affirmative action would have meant something to me -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/my-decision-was-sparked-by-affirmative-action-there-was-a-point-in-my/)

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

> [Who knows what Yale thought it was getting when it hired Richard Rodriguez? The people who offered me the job thought there was nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/who-knows-what-yale-thought-it-was-getting-when-it-hired-richard/)

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

> [There is no such thing as luck, only situations combine with other situations. Who is the one creating those situations?every time someone is disadvantaged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tokyo-ghoul/there-is-no-such-thing-as-luck-only-situations-combine-with-other/)

[Tokyo Ghoul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tokyo-ghoul/)

> [ The trajectory of this country \[USA\] is not positive and particularly for the disadvantaged, as we see what's happening. The gains in productivity have… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-koch/the-trajectory-of-this-country-usa-is-not-positive-and-particularly/)

[Charles Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-koch/)

> [As a former high school teacher and a student in a class of 60 urchins at St. Brigid's grammar school, I know that education…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/as-a-former-high-school-teacher-and-a-student-in-a-class-of-60/)

[Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/)

> [Social and economic policies constructed around the male breadwinner model have always disadvantaged women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/social-and-economic-policies-constructed-around-the-male-breadwinner/)

[Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/)

> [African American children can't be educationally disadvantaged for 12 years and then experience a miracle cure when it comes time for admission into college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaka-fattah/african-american-children-can-t-be-educationally-disadvantaged-for-12/)

[Chaka Fattah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaka-fattah/)

> [“I'm not lazy, I am motivationally disadvantaged”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-s-laing/i-m-not-lazy-i-am-motivationally-disadvantaged/)

Stuart S Laing

> [Homosexuals do not meet the criteria for a susect class under the equal protection clause because they are neither disadvantaged nor identified on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-johnson/homosexuals-do-not-meet-the-criteria-for-a-susect-class-under-the/)

[Mike Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-johnson/)

> [I've completely lost faith in the Democratic Party to truly serve the disadvantaged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-rauner/i-ve-completely-lost-faith-in-the-democratic-party-to-truly-serve-the/)

[Bruce Rauner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-rauner/)

> [Since Eve negotiated Adam, I am the most disadvantaged negotiator in history of mankind. I have no army, no navy, no air force, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saeb-erekat/since-eve-negotiated-adam-i-am-the-most-disadvantaged-negotiator-in/)

[Saeb Erekat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saeb-erekat/)

> [In Trinidad, where as new arrivals we were a disadvantaged community, that excluding idea was a kind of protection; it enabled us - for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/in-trinidad-where-as-new-arrivals-we-were-a-disadvantaged-community/)

[V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/)

> [Some kids win the lottery at birth; far too many don't - and most people have a hard time catching up over the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-heckman/some-kids-win-the-lottery-at-birth-far-too-many-don-t-and-most-people/)

[James Heckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-heckman/)

> [I'd like to think Helen very much understood what it was to be disadvantaged in the medical field. And that that was something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-stuart-masterson/i-d-like-to-think-helen-very-much-understood-what-it-was-to-be/)

[Mary Stuart Masterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-stuart-masterson/)

## More by Richard Rodriguez

> [“Human unhappiness is evidence of our immortality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/human-unhappiness-is-evidence-of-our-immortality/)

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

> [In the Sacramento of the 1950s, it was as though White simply hadn't had time enough to figure Brown out. It was a busy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/in-the-sacramento-of-the-1950s-it-was-as-though-white-simply-hadn-t/)

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

> [Books should confuse. Literature abhors the typical. Literature flows to the particular, the mundane, the greasiness of paper, the taste of warm beer, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/books-should-confuse-literature-abhors-the-typical-literature-flows/)

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

> [Mexico is sex and Canada is mind. There is much about Canada that I find admirable - the treatment of immigrants, for example, particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/mexico-is-sex-and-canada-is-mind-there-is-much-about-canada-that-i/)

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

> [My decision was sparked by affirmative action. There was a point in my life when affirmative action would have meant something to me -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/my-decision-was-sparked-by-affirmative-action-there-was-a-point-in-my/)

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

> [Who knows what Yale thought it was getting when it hired Richard Rodriguez? The people who offered me the job thought there was nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/who-knows-what-yale-thought-it-was-getting-when-it-hired-richard/)

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

> [I have a good black friend who is a doctor, but he didn't become a doctor because he saw other black men who were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/i-have-a-good-black-friend-who-is-a-doctor-but-he-didn-t-become-a/)

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

> [In some ways I consider myself more Chinese, because I live in San Francisco, which is becoming a predominantly Asian city. I avoid falling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/in-some-ways-i-consider-myself-more-chinese-because-i-live-in-san/)

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

> [I think the universities have co-opted the intellectual, by and large. But there is an emerging intellectual set coming out of Washington think tanks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/i-think-the-universities-have-co-opted-the-intellectual-by-and-large/)

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

> [You don't know Mexico, man. You have trivialized Mexico. You are a fool about Mexico if you think that Mexico is five blocks. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/you-don-t-know-mexico-man-you-have-trivialized-mexico-you-are-a-fool/)

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

> [After the second chapter of Days of Obligation, which is about the death of a friend of mine from AIDS, was published in Harper's,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/after-the-second-chapter-of-days-of-obligation-which-is-about-the/)

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

> [What has happened in the last generation is that Tijuana has become a new Third World capital - much to the chagrin of Mexico…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/what-has-happened-in-the-last-generation-is-that-tijuana-has-become-a/)

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

> [We're looking at complexity. We're looking at blond kids in Beverley Hills who can speak Spanish because they have been raised by Guatemalan nannies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/we-re-looking-at-complexity-we-re-looking-at-blond-kids-in-beverley/)

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

> [Intimacy is not trapped within words. It passes through words. It passes. The truth is that intimates leave the room. Doors close. Faces move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/intimacy-is-not-trapped-within-words-it-passes-through-words-it/)

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

> [For me, diversity is not a value. Diversity is what you find in Northern Ireland. Diversity is Beirut. Diversity is brother killing brother. Where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/for-me-diversity-is-not-a-value-diversity-is-what-you-find-in/)

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

[Explore all 99 Richard Rodriguez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

## More Action quotes

> [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/)

[Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/)

> [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/)

[Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/)

> [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/)

[Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/)

> [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/)

[William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/)

> [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/)

[Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/)

> [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/)

[Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/)

> [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/)

[Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/)

> [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/)

[Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/)

> [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/)

[Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/)

> [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/)

[Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/)

> [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/)

[Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/)

[Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Affirmative action ignores our society's real minorities - members of the disadvantaged classes, no matter what their race. We have this ludicrous bureaucratic sense that certain racial groups, regardless of class, are minorities. So what happens is those \"minorities\" at the very top of the ladder get chosen for everything.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Richard Rodriguez"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/affirmative-action-ignores-our-society-s-real-minorities-members-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Action"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/affirmative-action-ignores-our-society-s-real-minorities-members-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d13/richard-rodriguez-6515_action_affirmative-action-ignores-our-society-s_2911298.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d13/richard-rodriguez-6515_action_affirmative-action-ignores-our-society-s_2911298.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d13/richard-rodriguez-6515_action_affirmative-action-ignores-our-society-s_2911298.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Affirmative action ignores our society's real minorities - members of the disadvantaged classes, no matter…” — Richard Rodriguez",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Richard Rodriguez",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Affirmative action ignores our society's real...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/affirmative-action-ignores-our-society-s-real-minorities-members-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/affirmative-action-ignores-our-society-s-real-minorities-members-of/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
