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National figure campaigns to ban preferences
National figure campaigns to ban preferences
Ward Connerly looks back 44 years and can’t believe controversy surrounds him for speaking out against discrimination.
“The 1964 Civil Rights Act was supposed to have resolved all of this,” the Californian told a gathering in St. Joseph on Monday. He came to the city to watch Northwest Missouri Congressman Sam Graves sign a petition for putting the Missouri Civil Rights Initiative on the November ballot.
The proposed amendment aims to prohibit state and local governments from giving preferential treatment to people or groups based on race, gender, color or ethnicity in public employment, education or contracting.
Mr. Graves, a fourth-term Republican incumbent, said he was pleased to join Mr. Connerly’s effort.
“Some people will say this is a racist action, doing away with preferences,” the lawmaker said. “The fact of that matter is, we have preferences today, and that’s discrimination.”
Mr. Connerly, founder and chairman of the American Civil Rights Institute, served a dozen years as a University of California regent and led the charge in 1996 to pass Proposition 209, which ended race and gender preferences in that state’s hiring and college admissions.
The guest said he appreciated Mr. Graves’ support on the issue, noting that many Republicans “run for the tall grass” when the subject arises.
“Not because they think we’re wrong, it’s just that they don’t want to suffer the indignities of being called racist,” Mr. Connerly said.
Joshua Ewing, policy coordinator for the Missouri Association for Social Welfare, opposes the initiative endeavor. Later Monday, he called affirmative action “a very vital program and important to Missouri” and urged Mr. Connerly to volunteer his time working for social justice rather than stewarding the petition.
Mr. Ewing also found fault with using the words “civil rights” in the petition title.
“I think it’s a deceptive tactic that’s he’s used in other states,” he said. “Ultimately, it would work against what was achieved by civil rights leaders in the past.”
Tim Asher, executive director of initiative effort, countered that complaint. “In fact, we feel very strongly that it is an appropriate term,” he said, noting the effort faces a May 4 deadline for submitting signed petitions.
Ken Newton can be reached at kenn@npgco.com.
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I will sign this petition if given the opportunity. It is about time we get rid of this blatently racist program. Affirmative action is just a "legal" way to discriminate against whites and it is wrong.
when my son asked me in church why God made the black man sitting behind us the wrong color, I explained to him that God didn't make him a "wrong" color, he made us special and unique. I thought I was doing a bad job as a parent to have my 3 yr old son questioning the color of a man's skin. I stopped and asked him what color he thought everyone should be and he said, loud and proud... "PURPLE WITH PINK POLKA-DOTS"
I know, my previous comment had nothing to do with the Civil Rights Initiative.
What I know is that most of the people who sit around and complain because a person of another race, gender or religion got a promotion, didn't even apply for the position in the first place. Stop complaining about how life isn't fair, do a good job, have some faith and quit worrying about how much someone else has. If you want a better job, ask for it. If it takes more training, get it.
I like how everyone wants to jump on the Civil Rights bandwagon when it comes to something like race or ethnicity but its okay for most of the country to vote to take Civil Rights away when it comes to sexual orientation. Way to go USA!
I am for affirmative action If it weren't for the government forcing people to allow equal opportunity to minorities, the minorities wouldn't get them - simple as that.
Dondill,
And with thinking like that there will NEVER be equality. You cannot give preference to any race or gender and think that it will solve a problem. It makes absolutely no difference which race or gender is favored, it is wrong and it keeps racism and gender bias alive. As a supervisor I want to hire the best candidate for the job, I could care less what color or gender they are. I do not want to be told that I have to give preference to a specific person based on anything other than that person's ability to do the job. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, I don't want to be labeled as discriminating if the person I end up hiring or promoting is the same race or gender as me if that appplicant is the most qualified for the job. We simply do not need this useless, program that does nothing but promote discrimination.