Affirmative action is negative step (Herman Cain Archive)

The Augusta Chronicle ^ | 2004 | Herman Cain

[mnehring]

Some of my opponents in the race for the U.S. Senate seem to like to ask me if I am in favor of affirmative action. I'm sick and tired of people trying to divide us on race. So let me make my answer as plain as day, so that even a congressman can understand it. If by affirmative action you mean quotas - then no. But if you mean, do I favor giving all people equal opportunity? You bet. I don't understand how my opponents could not agree with the idea of removing all barriers for people to have equal opportunity.

When my father left a dirt farm at age 18 to pursue his American dream, he knew it would not be easy. He worked three jobs as a barber, chauffeur and janitor. My father struggled but never wavered in his three basic beliefs: his belief in God, his belief in himself and his belief that if he wanted to achieve something in this country, he could. He taught me that you get what you earn. I took that lesson to heart. After 20 years of hard work, I became a vice-president of the same company where dad worked as a janitor.

We were all taught, as my father taught me, that you can achieve anything in this country if you will put forth the effort. What we need to work on is removing the obstacles that get in the way of each individual's American dream. Fundamentally, I believe government needs to be smaller and get their hand out of everything.

Recent news reports indicate that the University of Georgia is considering adding race as one of the factors in their admission criteria. Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court made a ruling on the constitutionality of using race in college admission. The convoluted ruling found the University of Michigan's admissions practices - which gave bonus points to minorities simply because they are minorities - to be unconstitutional. And I agree with that ruling. Racial quotas should never be used as an admission policy.

But the court gave the go-ahead to the University of Michigan law school to consider race on a case-by-case basis. This is very tricky. If it means that economically impoverished kids who happen to be minorities should get consideration for assistance, that's great. If that means that minorities get slots in place of white kids with better academic credentials, then that is not fair.

College acceptance should be based on how well a student has performed and excelled in school. Like everything else in life, people need to earn what they get, and earn it by working hard. Quotas are not the answer and they never will be.

The reality today is that more black kids are attending college than ever before. And they are getting to college the old-fashioned way, by earning it. There are more minority doctors, lawyers and other professionals than ever before. We need to continue this trend, by not focusing on race but focusing on encouraging our kids to work harder to succeed.

There are many ways to help educate all of our children and help everyone achieve their American dream, but they do not include quotas, government handouts or special government preferences. No matter who you are, in the United States you can be anything you want to be, you can dream whatever you want to dream. There is no quota on success in this country if you are willing to work hard enough and long enough. I, and millions of other people, am proof of that fact.

(Editor's note; The writer, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, is a former chairman and CEO of Godfathers Pizza and head of the National Restaurant Association.)

[mnehring]

Some people were citing a false charge by a political opponent earlier this evening that Cain had supported Affirmative Action. Time to read Cain in his own words.

[Jane Long]

Herman Cain’s past is a gift that he keeps giving back to himself. The fact that he has been a CEO of a major company, he’s made wonderful gospel CD’s and doesn’t have a career politician past - is endearing.

[South40]

Thank you for posting this mnehring. There was a troll who posted a vanity about Cain and AA just after the announcement was made that Cain had won the Florida straw poll. You can see it here.

Then there was this.

[Forward the Light Brigade]

Cain says things that need to be said.

[awaken2spirit]

I have to say I like this man who speaks without a forked tongue. Clear as a freaking liberty bell. His clarity is amazing and Americans need to hear this message. Thanks for posting this.

[eyedigress]

He is getting a lot of attention and the press doesn’t know it yet.

[wac3rd]

I would support Herman Cain in a NY minute.

Bring Sarah, Bolton, Arapaio...Romney as Treasury Secretary...use us...and move Grahamnesty and the Collins ilk to the back of the bus!

[hosepipe]

Government removing barriers is affirmative action..
Making some a little more equal than others..

Government forcing equality on individuals forces set asides.. i.e. quotas..
Hermie has been brain washed.. he wants some black votes..
Most all blacks have been brain washed.. pretty smart actually.. but tricky..

Affirmative action “IS” racism.. or even “genderism”..
Maybe I’ll re-think my vote for Michele Bachmann..

[ari-freedom]

“I would support Herman Cain in a NY minute.”

Republican NY-9 candidate Bob Turner declined to pick a favorite from among the 2012 GOP presidential contenders during yesterday’s NY1 debate with Assemblyman David Weprin.

But the Queens businessman apparently had a change of heart after his head-to-head. When asked on his way out of the newsroom by Juan Manuel Benitez which candidate he feels is closest to his ideology, Turner responded:

“That’s a very tough question, but I would think Herman Cain right now. I like him. I like the way he thinks, and he speaks plain and true.”

[WilliamHouston]

It sounds reasonable.

Black people will still vote 9 to 1 for Obama though.

[9YearLurker]

It’s actually not a false charge that Cain supported affirmative-action programs. Back when he was running for office in the 90s he said he supported affirmative action as long as it wasn’t based on quotas.

That was a fairly mainstream GOP platitude and it is the strategy by which AA has been permitted to continue in college admissions, for example. In my mind it is something like GOPers now saying they oppose amnesty, though they favor a “path to citizenship” for illegal immigrants. I don’t agree with either of the deceptively squishy middle positions.

But the article people quote now that he wrote in 2004 was intended to strengthen his conservative credentials on the issue and in it he speaks more strongly about equality of opportunity.

IMO he has been pressed on and spoken in the last decade more clearly against affirmative action than have the other candidates. I think he should be given credit for speaking out in the way he does on it, and his squishiness from 20 years ago should no longer be an issue.

To press him further or to hold him to a higher standard than the other candidates is IMO an ugly double standard. As a candidate for president, he should be pressed for specifics on his foreign and economic policy positions and considered for the experience and record that he does and does not have that is relevant to the presidency.

I don’t expect he will be a competitive candidate, based on those more legitimate judgments, as we get closer to the primaries. But he’s done a great thing by being the most decent option among these early candidates and thus a good indicator of the inadequacy of Romney and Perry. He’s acquitted himself well in these early debates and he has been a very good ambassador for the GOP and the conservative message.

I’m glad he’s got his moment in the sun here and I’m appreciative of his contribution to the early race.

[ScottinVA]

Good post! Now that he has notched a rather convincing (even if inconsequential) victory, watch for the long knives of 0bama`s cabal, other libs, RINOs, the “media” and, yes, a few FReepers turn toward him.

[ronnie raygun]

Here we have a true black American who knows what it is to be American, not the false profit black Americans are following today. WHAT SAY YOU American blacks? Next? Herman Cain is an uncle tom.

[bgill]

When my father left a dirt farm at age 18 to pursue his American dream, he knew it would not be easy. He worked three jobs as a barber, chauffeur and janitor. My father struggled but never wavered in his three basic beliefs: his belief in God, his belief in himself and his belief that if he wanted to achieve something in this country, he could. He taught me that you get what you earn.

And there's the difference between Cain and the failure squatting in the white hut.

[icwhatudo]

Thanks for the info and clearing things up.

[AmericanInTokyo]

The MSM will release the hatchet job article on in in the next two weeks. Mark my word.

I think he will weather it though. He has a strong internal compass and I think whatever they say doesnt matter to him. We need this in a nominee, because Obama is going to shovel even higher, deeper and stinker piles of this crap next year (they cant run on their own record and will need to destroy Nominee Cain).

[eyedigress]

They better be careful. This is one set of rapids they must navigate very carefully. Mr. Cain will exploit their every move.

[SaraJohnson]

We can not overlook the fact that we live in a society where Black people are encouraged to rationalize racism in support of the tribe.

I want Cain to lay out exactly what his plan is to end diversity racism and all it’s socialist divices and manipulative expressions and plots. We don’t need another Black racist president. We already have Black racist mobs being inspired by our current Black racist President to attack their race enemy - white Americans. We got hispanic racists in LaRaza threatening a race war. We already have socialists racially harassing whites with hate and shame doctrines and practices in the public schools and Universities in the name of diversity.

What is he going to do to finally bring racial equality and unity beyond skin to this country? Does he have such a vision or is he a “moderate” black racist who believes in just a mild amount of diversity racism and discrimination?

[hosepipe]

[ Does he have such a vision or is he a “moderate” black racist who believes in just a mild amount of diversity racism and discrimination? ]

Who cares?... America is not ready for another try at political affirmative action..
Its not working.. they have already stolen our money next they will after our freedom..

The “Pigford” issue should be far bigger than it is..
Black racism has gone viral... and Hispanic racism is threatening..

Might be time for a Caucasian Caucus..

[LibsRJerks]

What I see and feel when Herman Cain speaks is that he speaks for blacks ..but he also speaks for me — a middle aged white female American ...in fact, he just simply speaks for EVERYBODY. And AMERICA. There is no doubt he really loves this country, warts and all.

And, sure, he’s black ..but it’s just an afterthought.

I feel that Herman Cain would accept ME — as a white. I don’t feel this way with Obama ...everytime that goof gets up to speak, I feel like I’m being spoken of as the hated enemy.

And I’m SO sick of it, because I’ve worked for every single FREAKING thing I’ve earned. All I expect from my fellow Americans is that they do the same.