Week 6-Visual Argument Response

Question No. 3, page 938

Week #6-Visual Arguments Response

Question No. 3, page 938

Both cartoons by Mike Thompson and Signe Wilkenson focus on the argument that affirmative action allows for a minority, in this case a person of color, to get into colleges that they might not otherwise be able to gain admission.  Colleges where a white person could and should easily get in.  Both cartoons show a white person extremely upset because of this.  Upset because in their minds a  minority is being admitted making it seem as if all they had to do was be a minority in their minds.  As Wilkonson’s cartoon says “It’s all his fault.”  I thought fault was an interesting choice of word.  Why is it a fault? 

 They are different in that Thompson’s focuses on the struggles and adversities that Daniel Lives on Detroits Eastside has to face everyday.  He lives in a tough world full of violence and drugs, gangs and poverty, sees racism on a regular basis and has to work hard and focus to overcome the substandard education offered.  He has to have affirmative action to be able to have admission and the education he deserves.  The white person in the cartoon depicted is a fat, angry woman.  The type of person who you can listen to them once, but after that you want to tell them to shut up.

Wilkonson on the other hand is focusing how college admission is often due not because of a persons academics, but because their families are big donors to the college, or their parents are alumni, a sports figure, an out of state student (higher tuition) all focusing on the monetary aspect of the admissions.  All because of who they know and how much money they have.  Interestingly they are all smiling as if admission is due to them.  Then you come upon the minority student granted admission because of affirmative action.  Interestingly he is not smiling.  The white person who is standing at the end is and saying “It’s all his fault” is whining and crying that he didn’t get in because of affirmative action.  

Each cartoon has it’s own merits and each makes a person think about affirmative action.