Former UC regent Ward Connerly takes campaign to other states ( anti-affirmative-action )

Medianews ^ | 06/07/2008 | Kevin Simpson

[george76]

Ward Connerly's critics often blame the success of the millionaire businessman's anti-affirmative-action campaign on some dubious political sleight of hand.

Now they'd like to make the former UC regent's controversial initiative disappear before it reaches the ballot in five states.

Connerly's measure won handily in his home state of California and in Washington and Michigan, affecting race- or gender-based programs in public employment, education and contracting.

Connerly spearheaded California's Proposition 209 in 1996, which amended the state constitution to outlaw race and gender-based preferences in state hiring and state university admissions. His twelve-year tenure on the Board of Regents ended March 1, 2005.

He has subsequently exported his initiative — and the financing behind it — to Colorado, Nebraska, Arizona, Missouri and Oklahoma.

His opponents have embraced a pre-emptive strategy.

By challenging the petition process on sidewalks, where they claim circulators mislead people into signing, and in court, they've managed to thwart his early momentum and hope to deal a major blow to his national campaign.

The thrust of the initiative, designated Amendment 46 in Colorado, is to ban "preferential treatment" — though the wording doesn't mention affirmative action.

At present, race and gender can come into play in hiring and contracting, often through goals that seek to include qualified women- or minority-owned businesses in a pool of applicants. College admissions criteria can include race, among other factors.

Connerly, a man of mixed race who identifies himself as black, says Americans have long had doubts about the use of race-based affirmative action. He predicts he'll prevail in the Colorado court battle and also surmount challenges in Arizona and Nebraska.

"Once we qualify, it passes in a landslide,"

[Alia]

You appointed Ward Connerly? I had heard Pete Wilson did that. And From Ward’s own Mouth.

[Alia]

From article: Connerly rejects the charges of deception as "bogus."

He allows that some circulators might approach individuals, ask them to sign the petition and assure them it "preserves affirmative action."

The original "affirmative action" was about equal outreach and recruitment. The Democrats turned "affirmative action" into "preferences" for those designated "endangered species"; therefore, affirmative action become something not ABOUT equal access; but preferences for some, inequality for others.

[george76]

Good to see Connerly and others fight back against the racists.

[goldstategop]

Ward Connerly's opponents can't win on the merits, so they're reduced to a desperate rearguard action of keeping his measures off the ballot. They can't defend racial spoils in this country as consistent with the ideal of equal treatment and justice under the law. This country has chosen to ban so called affirmative action because people should judged by the content of character and not by the skin color or the position of their sexual organs. That's simple and profound truth and American and the American people agree.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[george76]

Opponents’ funding comes from ...

Tim Gill, Pat Stryker, Jared Polis and Merle Chambers — all high-profile contributors to Democratic and progressive causes

[Carry_Okie]

IOW the wardens of indentured constituency.

[SierraWasp]

Don’t be ridiculous! Everybody but you knows you don’t take a dutchman for what he says, but rather... what he means!!!