Bill would erase race terms from law

Cincinnati enquirer ^ | 3 JUN 03 | Shelley Davis

[tomakaze]

Tuesday, June 3, 2003

Bill would erase race terms from law

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By Shelley Davis
Enquirer Columbus Bureau

COLUMBUS - Calling the language intolerable, a Cincinnati lawmaker is attempting to remove references to "colored persons," "white persons," and "Negroes" from Ohio law. State Sen. Mark Mallory, D-Cincinnati, will introduce legislation today that he says will bring Ohio's law books into the 21st century.

"A lot of times when we change laws we might not always update the language used in the code," Mallory said Monday. "These terms are considered to be offensive and it just doesn't make sense in this day and age to have language like that in Ohio's laws."

The bill would amend the four sections of Ohio law that use these terms. References to "Negroes," used in explaining non-discriminatory hiring practices, would be changed to "African-Americans." Also, language that distinguishes between "colored persons" and "white persons" would be replaced with "discrimination on the basis of race."

Mallory was informed of the language by Jack Chin, a professor with the Urban Justice Institute at the University of Cincinnati. Chin also alerted Mallory that Ohio was the only state to never ratify the 14th Amendment, which guarantees equal rights for Americans, regardless of race. The senator's bill to ratify the amendment passed the General Assembly in March.

Chin said about 15 states still use archaic terms when talking about race.

In Ohio law, the references are all in the context of civil rights or anti-discrimination laws, Chin said. One reference comes in a statute that bans discrimination in selling insurance to "colored people."

A similar bill in 1995 made language in the Ohio Revised Code more gender-neutral, Mallory said. It changed terms like "chairman" to "chairperson."

"With this being our bicentennial year, these are the perfect kinds of changes to make. It shows how much progress we've made over the last 200 years," Mallory said.

[tomakaze]

This weeks Posterboy for the national "Idiot Who Needs To Be Replaced/Removed From Office" campaign.

[norraad]

It is interesting to note that we are all "colored" people now.

It refers to being under colorable law.

[tophat9000]

The bill would amend the four sections of Ohio law that use these terms. References to "Negroes," used in explaining non-discriminatory hiring practices, would be changed to "African-Americans."

So the law would not cover Africans that are here but not Americans citizens yet

[expatpat]

There shouldn't, IMO, be any reference to race in the laws of Ohio. What happened to blind justice -- equal for all?

[tomakaze]

re:There shouldn't, IMO, be any reference to race in the laws of Ohio.
 
You're right - but this *sshat doent want to get rid of that, he just wants to make the terms more PC.

[JeremiahB]

Will it come to this? A homo sapian robbed the bank...be on the lookout for a homo sapian bank robber!

[scan58]

So the law would not cover Africans that are here but not Americans citizens yet

and what about the "African-Americans" that are white?

[Lazamataz]

Will it come to this? A homo sapian robbed the bank...be on the lookout for a homo sapian bank robber!

You are discriminating against Neanderthals.

[OXENinFLA]

WOW what a great Idea. Next we can remove the words He/she, His/Her....ect......

[Michael.SF.]

So the law would not cover Africans that are here but not Americans citizens yet

African-Americans. That term has always seemed wholy inadequate and is used only to appease some elements of our country, who it seems just need to bitch about something. Consider:

A white man born in South Africa and migrates to USA and becomesa citizen. Is he not an African American?

A black woman born in England of two Black's from the Bahamas. She becomes US citizen. Is she now to call herself an African American, to meet the legal requirements in Ohio (or other areas), is she also not a European-American?.

[College Repub]

No. But it would, if I understand correctly, cover white South Africans who immigrated.

[Onelifetogive]

"colored person" should be replaced with "currently accepted politically correct term for colored person".

If they replace it with "African-American", the document will be "archaic" again as soon as "African-American" is ditched.

[Bommer]

I'll bet that the National Association for the Advancement of COLORED People and The United Negro Collage Fund are cheering over this!

[Onelifetogive]

Bill would erase race terms from law

References to "Negroes," used in explaining non-discriminatory hiring practices, would be changed to "African-Americans."

Notice the complete LIE in the headline. "Erase" race terms?? How about "Update" race terms"?

[Oztrich Boy]

Yeah. When I say "Bill would erase race terms from law". I said "Duh! Why would there be any question. Just do it", but Bill just wants to change them to the euphenism of the day.