Members of a coalition to combat an anti-Affirmative Action petition called for voters not to “be fooled in April” by individuals getting signatures for the initiative.

The Working to Empower Community Action Now (WeCAN) coalition held a press conference at the steps of City Hall on Tuesday, April 1st (April Fool’s Day), denouncing a petition being circulated to end Affirmative Action in Missouri.

The initiative is being pushed by anti-Affirmative Action activist Ward Connerly. The west coast-based businessman has pushed successful Affirmative Action ending initiatives in California, Washington state and Michigan. [Watch our earlier interview with Connerly at the end bottom of this page.]

He is now pushing initiatives in five other states, including Missouri. Connerly is in the process of acquiring signatures to get the initiative on the November ballot.

Brandon Davis, WeCAN spokesperson and political director for the Service Employee International Union (SEIU) Missouri/Kansas State Council, warned voters about some of the practices backers of the initiative are using. Davis called them “deceptive,” including denouncing the name of the bill dubbed the “Missouri Civil Rights Initiative.”

Davis charges that many people sign the petition without realizing it’s for ending Affirmative Action.

The group took note of it being April Fool’s Day, using a costumed jester and the slogan “Don’t Be Fooled In April.” Connerly’s group has until May 4th to gather enough signatures to put it on the ballot.

WeCAN released a statement at the conference detailing how petitioners were being paid to gather signatures and were purposely misleading people into thinking they’d signed something that would fight discrimination. University of Missouri-St. Louis student Rita Weinstock said she experienced the tactics first-hand when she was approached by a petitioner in front of City Hall.

“He was describing the petition as simply a ‘petition to end discrimination in hiring,’” Weinstock said.

Weinstock, who knew about the petition and is for Affirmative Action, waved down individuals who had signed the petition and informed them of what it actually meant. She said many went back and asked for their names to be removed.

Deb Cottin, who is a member of the WeCAN coalition through FOCUS St. Louis, said her group signed on to fight the petition because they strongly believe Affirmative Action is still needed.

“It’s going to set back the Civil Rights Movement. It will set back diversity. It does not help diversity,” she said. “It would be nice to think that it would (help diversity), but if you look at what happens in the states that have banned it, it is not good.”

Cottin, Davis and others recited information on how ending Affirmative Action has adversely affected diversity on California college campuses and have hurt Michigan’s chances in getting conventions and other business. Cottin and Davis also wanted to educate more people about Affirmative Action, pointing out that it is not a racial or gender-based “quota” program as quotas are already illegal. WeCAN states that Affirmative Action is based on businesses and organizations who “increase opportunities for women, people of color, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities and veterans. The policies require good faith efforts to achieve and maintain a diverse workforce, business environment or academic community.”

“We really need to sound an alarm,” Cottin said. “If passed it will affect us in horrible ways. If we want St. Louis to thrive, if it gets voted into law it would not bode well for us.”

For those who want more information on WeCAN and their views on the initiative, call 1-877-644-0466 or visit their Web site at www.WeCanMO.org.

Here is our earlier interview with Ward Connerly: