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St. Louis Leaders
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FOCUS Blog
Jan
16
Written by:
Focus St. Louis
Friday, January 16, 2009 8:35 AM
By Nikki Weinstein
FOCUS Director of Policy and Community Engagement
The misleadingly named Missouri Civil Rights Initiative (MoCRI) is back with their attempt to rid Missouri of affirmative action. Last year that organization attempted to put a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would have banned affirmative action policies by government which would affect education, state and local hiring, and minority business contracts. They did not collect enough signatures, so the initiative did not make the ballot.
Why should you be opposed to this effort at ending affirmative action? Oh, let me count the ways…
1. MoCRI has very little support from within Missouri. The organization is funded by outside interests, and other than their lead local man, Tim Asher who is a disgruntled former North Central Missouri College employee who has been in legal battles with them over a diversity related issue, there is no local organization supporting their position.
2. We still need affirmative action. Yes, an African American is set to become our President. Yes, Hillary Clinton made a grand run for the office as well. But, there is still a glass ceiling, people. Women still get paid 75 cents for every dollar a man earns. Black people are still not judged only by their abilities, skills and talents. (More on this in next week’s post.) Our region faces persistent and pernicious race relations problems, as most of us recognize. We do not need this to further divide us.
3. Affirmative action does, in fact, provide opportunities. One student from UMSL told me that she didn’t think we need affirmative action anymore. As proof, she pointed to the many women and African Americans enrolled in her school. I had to point out to her that, in part, affirmative action policies opened the door for them. Sound harsh or confusing? Look at what happened in California when they got rid of Affirmative Action. In 1995, before the ban, UC Berkeley and UCLA together enrolled a total of 469 African American women and men in a combined freshman class of 7,100. After the ban in 2004, the number was 218 out of a combined freshman class of 7,350. Most strikingly, UCLA and Berkeley combined admitted a total of 83 African American men in 2004.
4. This is our state constitution we are talking about. In my opinion, it should not be so easily tampered with. Outside interests should not be able to come into our state of Missouri and change not only the laws of the land, but the very bedrock on which those laws rest.
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3 comment(s) so far...
Re: The Return Of The Anti-Civil Rights Initiative
As a Missourian and as an American, I am ashamed by your entire post. The Missouri Civil Rights Initiative is not misleading at all. It is simply for equal rights for all, not extending SPECIAL rights to a small portion of individuals (as many Americans , including you apparently, have come view "Civil Rights").
First, I have no idea how you come off saying that there is little support for MoCRI in Missouri. The MoCRI would have been on the ballot last November were it not for the feet dragging and corrupt actions of our very own Secretary of State, Robin Carnahan, who is now violating a court order from last year on the acceptable wording of the ballot initiative. Also, there was signature suppressing by ACORN and other "community groups" that are being investigated by federal and state officials for election violations.
Second, the last thing we need is affirmative action. Affirmative action sets a bad precedent and is a discriminatory practice in and of itself. That is why you are finding many states removing it from their law books.
Third, you are correct. Affirmative action does provide opportunities. It provides opportunities to people who in most cases do not deserve them. Job opportunities and spaces in our nation's universities should go to the best and brightest. Period. No special treatment because of the color of your skin. No special treatment because of your gender. Dr. King would be appalled.
Finally, you're right. This IS our constitution. As a Missourian, I sponsor the Missouri Civil Rights initiative and so do thousands of others in Missouri. The simple act of your writing about the MoCRI shows it is a Missouri interest, and not an "outside interest". This should be put to a vote of all Missourians. If they do not want it, it will be beaten through the democratic process and the population of the state, not back room dealings and shady practices.
By Ryan on
Thursday, January 22, 2009 1:21 PM
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Re: The Return Of The Anti-Civil Rights Initiative
I support Nikki's position. As a member of Jobs with Justice, I worked the streets to stop this initiative, and will count it a privilege to do so again. It is my opinion that this kind of initiative is nothing more than an attempt to tap into energy and money related to bias, bigotry and ongoing racism in our state. It is a huge waste of time, a distraction from important statewide issues like healthcare and education, and is one of a dwindling number of ways for a dying extreme right wing to get any attention whatsoever. How sad this group has become - living in a bygone era and thinking they represent a legitimate point of view. Affirmative Action is an effective tool that remedies past and current discriminatory practices and provides opportunities to people who have not and are not being treated fairly. A person who denies that large numbers of people have experienced discrimination in this state and continue to because of the color of their skiin, their gender, their sexual orientation, and their religious preference has his head stuck in a very deep hole. To those who want to again test the commitment of the people of this state to fairness and equality, I say, "bring it on." We defeated you the last time and we will do so again. History is on our side. We don't have time for this silliness. Let's come together from across our differences and solve real problems to make our community a better place for all of us!
By Martin Rafanan on
Thursday, January 22, 2009 5:46 PM
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Re: The Return Of The Anti-Civil Rights Initiative
It was a very nice idea! Just wanna say thank you for the information you have shared. Just continue writing this kind of post. I will be your loyal reader. Thanks again.
By links of london Necklace on
Wednesday, October 28, 2009 12:22 AM
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