Proponents of affirmative action argue that by nature the system is not only race based, but also <answer>class</answer> and gender based. To eliminate two of its key components would undermine the purpose of the entire system. The African American Policy Forum believes that the <answer>class</answer> based argument is based on the idea that non-poor minorities do not experience racial and gender based discrimination. The AAPF believes that "Race-conscious affirmative action remains necessary to address race-based obstacles that block the path to success of countless people of color of all <answer>class</answer>es". The groups goes on to say that affirmative action is responsible for creating the African American middle <answer>class</answer>, so it does not make sense to say that the system only benefits the middle and upper <answer>class</answer>es.
Other than being race and gender based, what did believers in affirmative action also feel that the system discriminated against?
class