I am aware racism is not a thing of the past. Quite contrary actually. I do believe however that Affirmative Action is contrary to the intent of the ant-discriminatory laws that predate any affirmative action policies.

If I am forced to choose to hire someone for a job based solely on their racial/religious/ethnic background, I am then being forced to be racist, and choose a person, not because of qualifications, but rather because of racially motivated requirements. Don't ask me to judge someone by the color of their skin, and I won't. Force me to judge someone by the color of their skin, and I will resent you for asking me to do so.

Being in the military I am required to utilize people the maximize their skills to result in the most efficient results. If I were forced to choose someone based on the color of their skin, or if they were a woman, or any other minority background, regardless of skill, or qualifications. I would then be inhibiting the mission, and could get people killed.

No, I think I will stick with picking people regardless of background or gender or even the color of their skin, it has worked rather well for me thus far.