The Supreme Court has ruled that the most qualified students should be admitted to colleges ahead of less qualified students. How could anyone be upset about this? It may be racist of me to say so but people are not identical, whether as groups or as individuals.

I think it is reasonable to want to help people who are disadvantaged. That is what the administrations at Harvard and North Carolina have done trying to make up for the lousy education black students received on their way there.

Students of Asian descent were denied entry in order to make room for people with darker skin. What makes this our business is the fact that each institution gets federal funding. If not for that, it shouldn’t concern us. They should be allowed to educate anyone they choose. Federal funding makes everything our business.

But as Hillary Clinton said, practicality ought to rule over ideals. Is affirmative action good for the country? In 13 years writing a column for the Hampton Chronicle only once did anyone send them a letter to the editor disputing what I had to say. I had written about college debt and the importance of considering debt and time in the decision to go. The writer asked, “Would you want surgery done by a doctor who hadn’t attended college?” He missed my point and has probably grown up a bit since then.

But I didn’t miss his. In all aspects of our society we all benefit from the most qualified performing in each field. Black students who don’t qualify for college should not displace qualified students because it detracts from the common good.

Affirmative action might feel good for some privileged white folks who like seeing diversity. But objectively it is demeaning. It says, “you are sub-human so you need special treatment.” It aims to correct inadequate education but doesn’t address the root cause which is lack of choice.

The history of affirmative action shows that most of the time students promoted by these programs find themselves in over their head and they fail. If left to pursue an education better suited to their background they learn and progress. They flounder about while the better prepared students learn at a faster pace.