CA: Prop 54: Text of Ward Connerly's Presentation at Conference

Proposition 54 Press Conference: Sacramento, CA ^ | 09-08-03 | Ward Connerly

[Alia]

SACRAMENTO, CALIF.-Ward Connerly, campaign chairman of Yes on Proposition 54, announced today that he would hold a press conference today at 1 p.m. in the Santa Barbara Room in Sacramento’s downtown Hyatt Regency hotel, located at 1209 L Street. Mr. Connerly will comment on recent developments in the Prop 54 campaign. He will be joined by Prop 54 Northern California chairman and Prop 209 co-author Dr. Glynn Custred.

The following is the text of the conference.

STATEMENT OF YES ON PROP 54 CAMPAIGN September 8, 2003

At this stage of the campaign for Proposition 54, I don’t know which is worse, my despair or my disgust.

I despair that the debate our state should be having about “race,” we are not having.

I despair that racial and ethnic identity politics have reached such a heightened level in California that their influence now seems unalterable.

I despair that the “Yes on Proposition 54” campaign does not have the funds to give voice to an ideal and a vision that has guided our nation for decades: the principle that people should be judged on the basis of their individual character and not their skin color, that “race has no place in American life or law,” and that “racial distinctions by government are evil and invidious and should not be tolerated in any sphere.”

I despair that we have evolved into a society of competing racial and ethnic interests—“people of color” and “whites”—and that these interests can be so blatantly exploited to advance the political interests of politicians and institutions that are so heavily invested in the maintenance of race-conscious decision-making.

I despair that there is no political figure now in the public arena to provide moral leadership on the issue of race that matches that of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., John F. Kennedy and Thurgood Marshall.

I despair that California is confronted with such a paucity of leadership choices among the several score of candidates offering themselves to govern our state.

But, even greater than my despair is my disgust.

I am disgusted that candidates for governor—Democrats, Republicans, Independents and Green Party representatives—of the most multiracial and multiethnic state in the nation can be so indifferent to the indignities visited upon California’s burgeoning multiracial population by a racial categorization system which pretends that such individuals do not exist.

I am disgusted that the current governor of California, the lieutenant governor, and the leading Republican candidate can so blatantly misrepresent Proposition 54, and needlessly alarm the people of California by falsely claiming health risks, and suffer no adverse political consequence for their lies and distortions.

I am disgusted that the leading Democrat candidate seeks to make a distinction between taking nearly $4 million in campaign funds from a single source to promote his candidacy and taking $4 million in campaign funds from a single source to promote his candidacy by leading the opposition to a ballot initiative, an action from which that candidate clearly seeks to benefit politically. This is a distinction without a difference.

I am disgusted that a Republican candidate for governor who wants to wear the crown of Ronald Reagan and considers himself a disciple of Milton Friedman would support government intrusion into private lives by categorizing human beings on the basis of skin color and other physical traits. No true disciple of Friedman supports this kind of activity.

I am disgusted that a candidate for office who wants the government to stay out of the bedroom of consenting adults and out of the doctor’s office when a pregnant woman is making the choice about abortion or not, would want that same government to be in the delivery room asking the mother and father of their newborn child to designate a “race” on some stupid government form. One can only assume that such a candidate would also have opposed Proposition 209 and would seek to overturn it should the opportunity arise, as would the leading candidate on the other side of the political aisle.

Where does the Proposition 54 campaign go from here? Obviously, we are about to be outgunned by an army of politically correct and racially motivated forces the likes of which we have never seen. All that we can do is to place our faith in the ability of people to govern themselves and to see through the lies and distortions, to read the simple language of the initiative and to ask themselves what kind of state do they want: one in which we are judged by our skin color and national ancestry or one where all that matters is our character? Do we want to be part of one human family or part of a racial or ethnic coalition?

Those of us who support Proposition 54 are clear in our dedication to the ideal of a colorblind government. Those who proclaim to be in favor of such an ideal but who oppose Proposition 54 have a duty to outline the inconsistency of such a position.

Ward Connerly

[pogo101]

He seems to be saying, "Dangit, don't blame me when it fails."

[B Knotts]

So, you think it's good that Schwarzenegger is opposing this?

[pogo101]

No.

[Alia]

lol. um. No. He's not saying that...

[So Cal Rocket]

McClintock is the only major candidate on the correct side of this issue.

[ambrose]

I am disgusted that a Republican candidate for governor who wants to wear the crown of Ronald Reagan and considers himself a disciple of Milton Friedman would support government intrusion into private lives by categorizing human beings on the basis of skin color and other physical traits. No true disciple of Friedman supports this kind of activity.

[Russell Scott]

Won't be any racial problems in Christ's Kingdom. Everybody will be clothed with Christ's glory. When man fell he became naked, and at the tower of Babel we became divided by skin color and language. All will be gone, gone, gone when the curse is lifted from the human race. Soon, and very soon, this world and all its misery and suffering will be like a faint bad dream.

[ambrose]

I am disgusted that a Republican candidate for governor who wants to wear the crown of Ronald Reagan and considers himself a disciple of Milton Friedman would support government intrusion into private lives by categorizing human beings on the basis of skin color and other physical traits. No true disciple of Friedman supports this kind of activity.

[pabianice]

He's a good writer/speech maker. Nicely done. Too bad the point of no return has been reached in CA. It's all about what I can get for me.

Whomever the next governor is, he's dead meat and will be recorded by history as a collosal failure as CA goes into bankruptcy and all its different racial groups "explode with justifiable rage."

Let Bustamante have it!

[pogo101]

Well, if he's not saying that, it's something related to that. For this statement is hardly the sort of optimistic-sounding battle cry that is par for the political course even for measures, or candidates, trailing rather markedly in the polls. Last I checked, Prop 54 was running about 50/50. I think it is brilliant -- or at least I heartily agree that it is impossible to define "races" objectively, so we should bar the government from making decisions based upon it openly (Prop 209) and covertly, through race-box-checking (Prop 54).

[B Knotts]

I admit to being baffled by Schwarzenegger's opposition to Prop. 54. It just makes no sense.

[pogo101]

At the very least Arnold could announce his support for the principle that the government should not be asking us to "check a race box" on applications seeking governmental dispensation, such as a college application, license application, etc. ... and that (I am supposing) the only reason Arnold is voting "No" on this version of such a law is that he has some concerns about its exceptions for data collection. Or whatever his problem with it is.

[B Knotts]

I understand, but the drafters did create a specific procedure for addressing any reasonable exceptions that were left out.

I think he's afraid of the race-baiters, but they already oppose him.

[daviddennis]

Knotts, sadly, I believe you're right.

A very moving statement by Ward. He must feel terrible about his cause being hijacked by the recall.

But let's face it, Bustamante's behaviour is much worse than Arnold's.

Common Tator, has Bustamante really raised only $4 million for this race? I can't help but think that despite the polls, he's dead in the water with that little funding. Surely if more people believed in him and his prospects, he'd be awash in money by now?

D

[Clara Lou]

Ward Connerly is so impressive-- and so right. What a man!

[concentric circles]

"I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." - M.L.King Jr.

[cyborg]

I agree with you

[rdf]

from John Miller at NRO

ARNOLD & PROP. 54 [John J. Miller]


Yesterday I named three things Arnold S. could to do to appeal to conservatives. I neglected to mention a fourth: Endorse Proposition 54, Ward Connerly's latest initiative, which would ban the state from collecting information about the race and ethnicity of its citizens. For a couple of weeks, AS has said he's studying Prop. 54 and would announce his decision before Election Day. Last night, however, Connerly emailed to say AS has come out against Prop. 54. The candidate also added this little flourish: "And if the right-wing crazies have a problem with that, so be it." It is becoming increasingly clear that there is no conservative case to be made for Schwartzenegger. The man has given us "right-wing crazies" almost nothing except the hope that he might win. Friends, this is the definition of a Pyrrhic victory.

A man who insults us like this doesn't deserve our votes.

Period.

Cheers,

Richard F.

[tophat9000]

bump