Affirmative action, like many issues, has many supporters as well as many individuals against it. Affirmative action and workforce diversity have one goal in mind. This goal is equality; Equality regardless of race, religion, gender or any other difference between people. The key to understanding and appreciating affirmative action is to understand its history and the principles on which it was developed. Additionally, workforce diversity should be embraced and even encouraged. With diversity comes creativity, innovation, and lasting connections that would otherwise never have existed. With affirmative action comes anti-discrimination, equality, opportunity and success for people who might otherwise have lost their lifelong dreams and career endeavors. Working in Public Administration it is essential to understand these issues and why they are important. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay” Affirmative action itself has been defined as “any measure, beyond the simple cessation of a discriminatory practice, taken to correct or compensate for past or current discrimination or to prevent discrimination from recurring in the future.” (U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, Statement on Affirmative Action, October 1977.)” (About Affirmative Action, 2016). Discrimination and anti-discrimination laws date back to just after the Civil War. authority to provide equal opportunity, antidiscrimination, and affirmative action to the Secretary of Labor with Executive Order 10925. President Johnson was a strong supporter of affirmative action and made it public that he believed that freedom would not be enough if action was not taken to ensure that those who were not offered opportunities in the past now receive ample opportunities, even if it meant more opportunities than previously favored candidates (About Affirmative Action, 2016). As stated previously, there are both supporters and opponents of affirmative action and workforce diversity. Supporters will likely cite President Kennedy and organizations such as the American Association for Access, Equity, and Diversity and the American Civil Liberties Union. Supporters point to affirmative action leveling the playing field for individuals of all races. Instead of encouraging organizations, government bodies, and educational institutions to be fair in selecting among various races, the government establishes protections, rules, and tests to ensure that individuals are not discriminated against based on race. Public Administration is on the front line in the country and as such must set a precedent for what is accepted and what is expected. Furthermore, public sector jobs must ensure compliance with anti-discrimination policies. Therefore, government organizations must implement and adhere to anti-discrimination, workforce diversity, and affirmative action. Opponents will likely cite sources trying to show that affirmative action is further damaging the system it set out to fix. Opponents have several arguments as to why they do not approve of affirmative action. Some of the arguments of opponents are that affirmative action is actually racial discrimination; individuals of color will be assumed to have obtained their position based on color rather than merit; Asian students are harmed by affirmative action;.