Tuesday Quick Links
Ward Connerly, American Hero – The Hoover Institution’s Peter Robinson does a fine job capturing the essence of the man behind the effort to eliminate preferences in government hiring, contracting, and admissions across the country. I reviewed Connerly’s biography, Creating Equal: My Fight Against Race Preferences, a number of years ago, so I’m familiar with why he decided to take up a shield and fight the giant called the professional civil rights industry. For those who haven’t read the book, check it out. And read Robinson’s article. (Forbes)
Confusion of Terms – Once again, a reporter confuses the terms “affirmative action” and “race preferences.” Affirmative action, as conceived, isn’t what state ballot initiatives seek to eliminate. It is the practice of considering factors like race and sex in government hiring, contracting, and admissions decisions. Taxpayer-funded institutions may continue casting a wider net to reach out to qualified minorities. But hiring or admitting someone because of skin color or sex – discriminatory.
Says Jessica Peck Corry, director of the Colorado Civil Rights Initative: “I don’t want to live in a country that says because you were born with the wrong biology, we’re going to exclude you from these programs.” (Grand Junction Free Press)
Bigotry on Both Sides – Gary Bauer, president of American Values, points out in Politico that race is often used as a fall-back position, an excuse, a reason to explain why a black candidate may do poorly in the polls. If Barack Obama loses, conventional wisdom says, it’s because he’s black. As Bauer notes, many will vote for Obama because he’s black. But there’s nothing provocative about that spin.
Keep in mind that bigotry is no respecter of political parties. About seven years ago, Thomas V. “Mike” Miller, Democratic president of the Maryland Senate, called black Republican Michael Steele an “Uncle Tom.” I have never read or heard any black liberal condemn Miller. Republicans like Ward Connerly and Clarence Thomas have also had to deal with liberal bigotry.
One day soon, perhaps racial considerations will be a thing of the past. But first, Americans must revoke the government’s authority to prefer one race of people over another. (Politico)
