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.