California’s Proposition 209, which amended the state constitution to bar the government from granting preferences to or discriminating against individuals or groups based on race, faces legal challenges after almost 14 years. The Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration, and Immigration Rights By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) filed suit earlier this year, and the Pacific Legal Foundation seeks to intervene in the federal lawsuit.
Laurie Morrow, blogging for the Democracy Project, comments on the latest challenge to overturn the voters’ will in California.
“Rather than defend the will of California voters and the Ninth Circuit, defendants Governor Schwarzenegger, President Yudof, and the University of California Board of Regents have moved to be dismissed from the [BAMN] suit.
“Unlike those entrusted with the governance of the state of California and of its state institutions of higher education, other citizens have the moral courage to demand California’s constitution remain in alignment with Dr. King’s dream and with the will of the people. The California Association of Scholars, the Pacific Legal Foundation, and Ward Connerly, himself a former University of California Regent, a member of the California Association of Scholars, and President of the American Civil Rights Institute, have jointly filed a motion to defend Proposition 209. Here is the Pacific Legal Foundation’s case summary; you can also download a copy of the Motion to Intervene from the same page.
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“Not everyone shares Dr. King’s belief that a colorblind society is a good thing. Some prefer a society that recognizes race as a qualification for a job or for admission to a college.”
This point can’t be stressed enough. Allowing our government to consider race a job or admissions qualification is a dangerous proposition. Among preference proponents, such policies that favor blacks are “good”; policies that favor whites are “bad.” But a government with the power to discriminate in favor of blacks also has the power to discriminate against blacks. The goal is to keep government from granting preferences to or discriminating against individuals based on race for any reason.
Californians who support colorblind government policy should support candidates committed to protecting and defending Proposition 209.
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