Though many Asian-American interest groups have lined up to support the University of Texas’ affirmative action policy amid the Fisher v. University of Texas court battle, some Asian-American groups have sided with Abigail Fisher, arguing that race-conscious decisions in university admissions hurt qualified Asian-American students.
When Abigail Fisher, who is White, sued the University of Texas after she was denied admission, claiming UT’s affirmative action policy discriminated against her, as it gave preference to minority candidates over her, the subject of universities and the validity of their affirmative action practices were called into question. Scores of pro-affirmative-action groups voiced their support and stressed how a diverse campus benefits all students, including Whites.
Of those who demonstrated their support of affirmative action, dozens have been Asian-American groups. In the months leading up to the Supreme Court hearing last October, five Asian-American groups — including the Asian American Legal Foundation based in San Francisco — filed amicus briefs in court opposing the University of Texas’ policies. A second brief was filed on behalf of four additional Asian-American groups: the 80-20 National Asian-American Educational Foundation, the National Federation of Indian American Associations, the Indian American Forum for Political Education and the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin.
Asian-Americans are arguably the most diverse ethnic group in the United States — and perhaps one of the least understood. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Asian-Americans are the fastest growing minority group in the United States, accounting for 6 percent of the overall population.
And the spectrum of people of Asian descent in the United States is almost as broad as it is on the Asian continent. Many Asian-Americans have roots from numerous countries, including China, India, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Pakistan, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines. As such, Asian-Americans in support of affirmative action emphasize that they historically have been victims of racism and are beneficiaries of affirmative action.
A study conducted by the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research shows that 63.1 percent of Asian-Americans support affirmative action. The study also shows that 62.6 percent of Asian-American college students disagree with eliminating affirmative action.
Though the Asian-American groups supporting affirmative action outnumbered those against nearly 20 to 1, the differences highlighted a rift within the Asian-American community on the matter.
