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Ward Connerly Interview - Part 2
By Antonio D. French
And now the exciting conclusion of our interview with affirmative action opponent Ward Connerly.
Connerly has come to Missouri to support a proposed amendment to our state constitution to "ban affirmative action programs designed to eliminate discrimination against, and improve opportunities for, women and minorities in public contracting, employment and education."
Click here to watch Part 1 of this interview.
Labels: Initiatives, Interviews, Race
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Ward Connerly Interview - Part 1
By Antonio D. French
Last week, I sat down with Ward Connerly, the controversial founder and chairman of the American Civil Rights Institute, a national non-profit organization created to oppose racial and gender preference, commonly known as affirmative action.
In 1996, Connerly was instrumental in getting Proposition 209 passed in California. The controversial initiative amended the state's constitution to prohibit public institutions, such as universities, from taking race or gender into consideration in hiring or admissions.
Connerly has now come to Missouri. He has been brought in to be the spokesman for a group based out of Grain Valley, Missouri which is organizing to get an initiative passed next year which is very similar to the one passed in California.
The California initiative passed by 54%. In this much more conservative Midwestern state, supporters of affirmative action are up for a fight — one that will likely be settled on the very same ballot that decides who will be the next President of the United States.
And now, part 1 of my interview with Ward Connerly...
Check back tomorrow for Part 2 of my interview.Labels: Initiatives, Interviews, Race
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Legislators Take "Affirmative" Action
By Dan Martin
Yesterday, Missouri House members in support of Affirmative Action held a press conference in Jefferson City to express their opposition of an anti-Affirmative Action ballot initiative being pushed by a group calling itself, rather ironically, the Missouri Civil Rights Initiative.
State Rep. Talibdin El-Amin (D-St. Louis City), one of the organizers of the event, told PubDef that this issue is not just about reserving jobs and spots in higher education for African-Americans. He contends that the entire country benefits from diversity.
"We wanted to convey that this is not solely an African-American issue," said El-Amin. "We're trying not to be reactionary... trying to make sure people are being educated as to the deceptive language that is being used."
El-Amin went on to say that he expects any bill attacking Affirmative Action to receive strong Democratic opposition, and that he has spoken to some Republican lawmakers that he has worked with in the past that will also "be inclined to support" Affirmative Action.
While opponents contend that Affirmative Action programs have outlasted their usefulness, El-Amin couldn't disagree more.
"You can look at the numbers, and there is a disparity. It is obvious that you need some type of remedy," he said. And he will continue to feel that way, "until they can show me some numbers" to the contrary.Labels: Events, Initiatives, Interviews
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Defending Affirmative Action
By Antonio D. French
A group of Missouri lawmakers are preparing to fight a potential ballot initiative anti-affirmative action groups are trying to put before voters in 2008 targeting colleges admission standards, employment opportunities and access to public contracts for minorities.
The Missourian reported last week that a group called The Missouri Civil Rights Initiative will be part of a "Super Tuesday for Equal Rights" campaign led by the American Civil Rights Institute, which also hopes to ban racial preferences in Colorado, Oklahoma and Arizona.
State Rep. Talibdin El-Amin, a Democrat from north St. Louis, is among those ready for the fight.
"Beneath the claim that ability and merit should be the only basis for advancement is the documented history of denial of opportunity to minorities and women that must be remedied," El-Amin said in a statement.
According to El-Amin, Californian Ward Connelly, "the African-American face of the anti-affirmative action movement", was in Missouri on April 24 to announce efforts to launch an initiative drive to eliminate affirmative action this state. Connelly helped put such a measure, Proposition 209, before California voters.
Assistant Senate Minority Leader Chuck Graham, D-Columbia, said protections to help women and minorities advance should be preserved.
"Achieving the maximum potential of society can only be done when all people are allowed to participate in the system," Graham said.
"This country has made significant strides with the passage of civil rights legislation, but all of the goals of those landmark bills have not been met nor negated the legacy of centuries of discrimination and racism."
El-Amin, Graham, and other legislators will hold a press conference on the anti-affirmative action proposal on Tuesday, May 8, at 9:00 a.m. in the State Capitol.Labels: Events, Initiatives
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$3M Christmas Gift for St. Patrick
By Antonio D. French
Homeless advocates at the St. Patrick Center will receive a nice Christmas gift today in the form of a $3 million check and an award from the U.S. Government.
U.S. Sen. Kit Bond and Congressman Lacy Clay are scheduled to be on hand as Sandy Baruah, U.S. Asst. Sec. of Commerce for Economic Development, presents the non-profit with an Economic Development Administration (EDA) investment check and the 2006 EDA Excellence in Economic Development Award for Community and Faith-Based Social Entrepreneurship.
Jay Hein, deputy assistant to the president and director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, will also be at the ceremony today at noon in the lobby of St. Patrick Center, 800 N. Tucker Blvd.
www.stpatrickcenter.org
Labels: Initiatives
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