PING! 
Your One Stop Resource For All The California Recall News!
Want on our daily or major news ping lists? Freepmail DoctorZin.
Posted on 08/26/2003 8:18:49 PM PDT by Alia
SACRAMENTO, CALIF.-Ward Connerly, campaign chairman of Proposition 54,proudly announced today that Dr. Glynn Custred, co-author of Proposition 209, has strongly endorsed Prop 54 and has pledged his full support in the campaign for the initiative that will bar state government from recognizing, classifying, categorizing or dividing its citizens by race, color or ethnicity.
Dr. Custred is a professor of anthropology at California State University, Hayward and a member of the Board of Directors of Americans Against Discrimination and Preferences, an educational organization. He also serves as the President of the California Association of Scholars and is on the Board of Directors of its parent organization, the National Association of Scholars. He began his fight to eliminate racial and gender preferences in California in 1991, and with Mr. Connerly led Prop 209, which he co-authored, to victory at the polls in 1996, when it passed with 56 percent of the vote. Prop 209 eliminated racial and gender preferences in public contracting, education and employment in California.
“I’m honored to join Ward for the home stretch of this historic initiative that will halt the state government from classifying and dividing its citizens by race and take the first step towards a color-blind government,” said Dr. Custred. “I’ve been standing on the sidelines watching this debate about the meaning of race in America unfold up to now, but I’ve concluded that there are some moments in history when one cannot stand on the sidelines. The passage of Prop 54 is such a moment. This became clear to me after the recent Supreme Court decision that allowed racial preferences in admissions at the University of Michigan, and thus, nationwide. Our country stands at a point of decision. We can choose a color-blind government, as championed by our founding documents and civil-rights heroes like John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King. Or we can settle for a ‘color-conscious’ government that categorizes its citizens and engineers ‘diversity’ based on a person’s racial or ethnic background. We must choose the latter.”
Prop 54, which will appear on the October 7 gubernatorial recall ballot, will bar the state and all local California governments from collecting racial data in the areas of public education, employment, contracting and most other government operations. Reasonable exemptions exist for medical research subjects and patients, data collection required by federal law or for federal funds and certain activities of law enforcement. The state legislature, by a two-thirds vote and with the governor’s approval, can vote to exempt any other reasonable area. Also, the Department of Fair Housing and Employment will receive a 10-year sunsetting exemption.
“There are a few among us who supported Prop 209 who have argued that Prop 54 may weaken our ability to document preferential treatment,” continued Dr. Custred. “I disagree. Attaining a color-blind government is far more important than dueling over data about permissible or impermissible uses of race. It’s a fallacy that racism can only be determined by constantly maintaining and consulting a vast bank of ‘data.’ Once we succumb to that mindset, we will never break free of our obsession with race. I’ve pledged to Ward Connerly my complete dedication to his commitment to build a color-blind California.”
“I’ve always had the greatest admiration and respect for Glynn and his courageous vision to create true equality in California and our country, regardless of race, color or ethnicity,” said Mr. Connerly. “Having him join our campaign is indeed an exciting event for me personally.”
For more information on Prop 54 go to www.racialprivacy.org . For more information on Dr. Custred and Americans Against Discrimination and Preferences, go to www.aadap.org/Default.shtml . Dr. Custred can be reached through the Prop 54 campaign office; contact information is listed below.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Justin Jones (916) 444-2278 or jj@racialprivacy.org
I concur with you in re candidates and their position on 54. Obviously, Busta would support 53. So, let's see, lib mantra must be: no, Busta, yes, no. 3 negatives; one yes (54)
Conservative candidates would rap out: yes, R, no, yes. Fiscal and cultural conservatism.
On another note? I just read at SFChron - Longest time Davis backer is backing Arnold. Davis in a royal snit. At Mattier & Ross:
"Davis evidently thought that he had done Hellman a big favor recently in helping to push Hellman's son-in-law, Robert Dynes, as the new University of California president. The UC regents picked Dynes, UC San Diego's chancellor, in June. "
Of course, the usual anti-legacy-types will no doubts somehow miss this little juicy tidbit of "Davis" lore. Or is that, Dem-lore.?
best, Alia
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.