State legislators affirm affirmative action
By Bernie Hayes For the St. Louis American
Ward Connerly, an African American, is chairman of the American Civil Rights Institute and chairman of the California Civil Rights Initiative campaign. He is supporting The Missouri Civil Rights Initiative, a proposed amendment to the Missouri Constitution.
I purposely noted that Connerly is African American. The ballot measure supposedly bans government-sponsored race and gender preferences in the state. This sound like a brilliant piece of legislation, until you understand the proposal actually wants to end most affirmative action programs.
The Missouri Civil Rights Initiative will be part of a ‘Super Tuesday’ campaign that will offer citizens of several states the chance to end affirmative action practices and anti-discrimination laws in public employment, public education and public contracting. Similar measures have already passed in three other states, all by overwhelming margins, mostly by deception and confusing language on the ballot.
Connerly has been described by some as “the leading spokesperson for the well-financed, corporate-backed, far-right-wing national campaign to end affirmative action and to rollback the gains our society has made towards integration.”
Connerly must not be aware of the 1954 case of Brown v. Board of Education. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that having separate schools for whites and non-whites was unconstitutional and decided that “segregation of white and Negro children in the public schools of a state, solely on the basis of race, denies to Negro children the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment.” He must not recall the basis and cause for affirmative action programs. He must be unaware of the National Organization for Women and its goal to bring about equality for all women.
Missouri communities have been torn apart by several forces, but this ballot initiative should not be one of them. It should be strongly opposed by labor unions, the media and other organizations who are interested in justice, fairness and anti-discrimination.
Some Missouri politicians believe that Ward Connerly is leading the country in a dangerous direction and strongly disagree with his position, suggesting that he is blatantly misrepresenting the truth.
State Senator Joan Bray said: “Missourians must reject outsiders who come to our state to spread bigotry and intolerance under the guise of affirmative action. We must work relentlessly to educate our neighbors not to sign the petitions that would strike at the heart of opportunities for all children to succeed. Ward Connerly and his ilk thrive on fear. Missourians must not be afraid to stand up to these hate mongers from California.”
Bray represents the 24th District, which includes all or parts of 18 municipalities and unincorporated areas in St. Louis County.
State Senator Rita Heard Days represents the 14th District in St. Louis County. She said, “People from outside the state of Missouri want to come in and change our hard fought gains on equality in public employment, public higher education and public contracting. Missouri’s affirmative action programs are working, and there is no need to move backwards.”
State Representative Jeannette Mott Oxford of the 59th District expressed outrage at the plan.
“This spring, state Rep. Talibdin El-Amin called a news conference in the State Capitol so that senators and representatives could express their opposition to Ward Connerly’s ballot initiative to overturn affirmative action in Missouri,” Mott Oxford said.
“I spoke at that conference and continue to urge Missourians to decline to sign any petition circulated to them that would strike down this important justice-making tool. Connerly wraps up this racist campaign in the language of equality and liberty, just as many rascals wrap themselves in the American flag and patriotic verbiage. I will do my best to educate my constituents about this issue and pray that we are successful in keeping it from appearing on the 2008 ballot.”
Missouri Senate Minority Floor Leader Maida Coleman, a Democrat representing the 5th District, said this proposed amendment should not reverse the Supreme Court’s various decisions banning discrimination and it will not solve the problem of favoritism.
Many other civil and human rights advocates have expressed concern about Ward Connerly and promised to defeat the proposal, affirming that there will be no turning back the wheels of progress.
Beware of the chicanery and deception perpetrated by some smiling faces who are hiding daggers. Ward Connerly is an example of our so-called leaders who are blind to their own bias.
I can be reached by fax at (314) 837-3369 or by e-mail at: berhay@swbell.net.