Affirmative Action - CCRI (Prop 209)

I think, that by whatever name it is described, discrimination is morally wrong, grossly unfair, counterproductive to generally accepted racial goals and often unsuccessful.

The moral issue; Treating people differently on the basis of the group to which they belong has been a moral and ethical disaster for the human race. Just in this century, millions of people have been killed because they were Jews in Germany, intellectuals in China, farmers in Russia or Kurds in Iran. The evils of treating people on the basis of group continues around the world today. Genocidal wars in Bosnia and Africa, and the outrageous treatment of women in Afghanistan are glaring examples.

Fairness; The percentage of Asians at the University of California is predicted to increase if CCRI passes. This is not suprising as Asian Americans have born the brunt of University affirmative action programs. Asian Americans are a minority group, they have suffered as victims of discrimination and their ancestors had no part in the racial injustices of our country’s past. Given these facts, by whatperversion of the word fairness can Asian Americans be required to pay the cost of affirmative action?

Failure of affirmative action to benefit those it claims to help; As many as 50% of students admitted to the University as part of specific racial programs flunk out of school. Many of these students would have succeeded and graduated if they had attended schools more appropriate to their academic abilities. But because of an affirmative action program they entered a school for which they were not prepared and instead of a degree from a lesser, but respectable institution, they end up with no degree at all! This is not just failure, it is a program that has actively harmed some of those it claimed to help.

Affirmative action is counterproductive; Under affirmative action non-preferred students see first hand that the recipients of discriminatory preferences cannot compete. They note that recipients of preference require such things as easier classes and an easier grading system to succeed. These first hand experiences perpetuate and actively encourage the view that some races are inferior. The perception that some races are inferior is the essence of modern racism and this view is being reinforced by affirmative action.

In my view, as a matter of law and public policy, government agencies including the University of California should end discrimination on the basis of group and treat each individual only on the basis of their right to equal treatment. Where distinctions are to be made they should be made only on the basis of character, individual merit and personal accomplishments. I support Proposition 209.

Last modified on Tuesday, October 15, 1996