The hypocrisy has reached new levels

[alex_reno]

an inferior system at best: many individuals undeserving of its benefits receive them, whereas many ... don't get them solely based upon the color of their skin. Are non-minority low-income individuals not just as deserving of a chance to pull themselves up the economic ladder (by getting a quality education) as minorities?

Essentially, I agree with you that such things should be awarded based on economic bracket rather than race. But...

But even then, AA does not even attempt to address the problem until 18+ years of inferior education have already passed for said individuals. It is a band-aid fix. It does not address the true issue at hand in this country: poor/low-income individuals are getting a significantly worse education in this country

It could certainly be argued that if you had received 12 or 13 years of lousy education from lousy teachers, you might be perceived as undeserving of higher education. If we agree that being poor gets you a worse education, and that a far greater percentage of minorities are poor than whites, then one would have to suspect that these programs are not especially poorly targeted.

Furthermore, racism is more likely to have played a part in a poor minority's low (perceived) qualifications, which in combination with the poorer education, gives your average white a significant head start over a minority with similar gifts.

I agree with you that the solution is better education for the poor. Until that happens, though, affirmative action does seem to address some of the problems that past racism has left us. More minorities get a chance at a decent education, and if they can't hack it, they wash out and try something else. Keep in mind that some who washed out might not have failed had they been given the same chances throughout their lives as a white.