California eliminates affirmative action

Wednesday, November 6, 1996

PROPOSITION 209:

Initiative banning race-, gender-based discrimination,
preferential treatment wins in 55-45 voteBy Ryan Ozimek

Daily Bruin Contributor

Effectively ending all affirmative action policies in the state,
the passage of Proposition 209 hit student government officials
hard Tuesday night.

Undergraduate Student Association Council President John Du, a
vocal opponent of Proposition 209, watched the results roll in
alongside other opponents at the United Teachers of Los Angeles
headquarters downtown.

"It’s hard to believe that so many years of struggle in the
civil rights movement fought so hard for, can be destroyed in one
day," Du said.

Recognizing defeat, Du began to plan for the future.

"Right now, I’m hearing a lot of people talking about fighting
the proposition in the courts," Du said. "(The undergraduate
government) will continue to be part of the fight against Prop.
209. A lot of the provisions are illegal and we wouldn’t support
something that was illegal."

After a year of efforts spent attempting to stop Prop. 209, Du
believed that time had not been wasted.

"Our fight was broader than just Prop. 209. We were fighting for
a broader issue of social justice and human civil rights," Du
said.

Soon after the opening results from precincts were announced,
one of the initiative’s most outspoken supporters, UC Regent Ward
Connerly, voiced his approval.

"This is not a victory for white males, but a victory for all
Californians," Connerly said.

However, just minutes after initial reports of the initiative’s
passage, the American Civil Liberties Union and the National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People released
statements revealing they plan to file lawsuits against the new
state constitutional amendment Wednesday morning.

"(The passage of Proposition 209) woke this whole country up,”
said Connie Rice of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. "We are going to
put together a coalition of groups to take this to court to keep
this from being enforced."

Coming only one year after the end of affirmative action in
admissions and hiring policies in the state college system,
Proposition 209 was another victory for conservatives looking to
end "preferential treatment" in California.

While many people spoke out against the proposition, prominent
figures such as presidential candidate Bob Dole expressed their
support.

"The overwhelming majority of Americans and Californians
believe, as I do, that we should promote equal opportunity for all,
without regard to race or gender," Dole said early last week.

"But at the same time, we believe it is wrong to use quotas,
set-asides and other preferences that serve only to pit one
American against another."

However, while Dole and Connerly praised the passage of the
initiative, others closer to UCLA voiced their disappointment.

"I’m disappointed that Pete Wilson and Ward Connerly were able
to pull the wool over the eyes of so many Californians," state Sen.
Diane Watson said to a group of approximately 200. "I want Pete
Wilson to know that we’re going to be on his back from here on in,
and trust me, I’m going to make his life miserable."

Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Thomas, another speaker at the
anti-Proposition 209 gathering, expressed his anger at the
proposition and what he believed was President Clinton’s long wait
to address the issue.

"Racism ain’t even near dead in the United States or even in the
state of California," Thomas said.

Throughout the initiative’s campaign, groups focused on the
proposition’s potentially wide ranging effects, specifically
"Clause (c)," which states "Nothing in this section shall be
interpreted as prohibiting bona fide qualifications based on sex
which are seasonably necessary to the normal operation of public
employment, public education, or public contracting."

Eleanor Smeal, leader of the Feminist Majority group in
California made a public speech regarding the proposition.

"We’re going to make sure that it doesn’t get any further,"
Smeal said.

"If they try to narrow the opportunities for women and people of
color, you can guarantee that we’re going to fight it."

Despite opponents’ hopes that the initiative will be tied up in
courts, the initiative has strong support from Gov. Pete Wilson,
who last month issued an executive order banning the use of
preferences in state hiring and contracting.

SUSIE MING HWA CHU/Daily Bruin

Paul Crawford (l.) of the Greater South Los Angeles Affirmative
Action Project (GSLAP) shows his frustration as April De-Alba, 14,
a ninth-grader at John Muir High School also shows
disappointment.