Although Mansfield reiterated the traditional stance of those who support affirmative action, he also took up the view that affirmative action is reverse discrimination, saying that "two wrongs don't make a right."

Mansfield described affirmative action as an underhanded and insulting policy, that causes blacks to be defined by the past.

"Americans are not racist," Mansfield insisted.

Sandel took a different tack in favor of the policy. Instead of using a "compensatory rationale," he said diversity should be preserved through affirmative action because diversity itself is a meaningful contribution to a community, particularly at colleges and universities.

The question-and-answer period that ensued was a blend of questions from the audience and informal debate among the panelists.

When Mansfield said that racism will always exist insofar as skin pigmentation differentiates people, West asked in response, "How much racism would have to exist for it to be significant?"

"As much as there was when I was kid," Mansfield replied.

"This debate couldn't have taken place three or four years ago," Wisse said, because too much hypocrisy and Cynicism surrounded the issue of affirmative action.

She noted that the honesty and candidness of exhibited by the panel was necessary to have a meaningful discussion of affirmative action