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Is the present tense "are" properly used in the following? Why wasn't "were" used instead?
"And it makes sense, up to a point, to debate ending remedies for discrimination that are more appropriate to mid-20th century America, where nearly 90 percent of the population was white and racism kept blacks, Latinos and Jews from advancing in the workplace."
I'd appreciate your help.
Because those remedies are suited to mid-20th century America. The remedies still exist, conceptually, and indeed are presumably still in place, given there's apparently debate about ending them.
Were could be used as well, because the remedies existed in the past as well as now. Are would not be appropriate if they had already ended. If they had never been put into place, but were ideas that had been discussed or suggested, then are would be appropriate.
