Make those in the dark aware about affirmative action

Friday, October 18, 1996

AWARENESS:

Educating others about truth of Proposition 209 will result in
its blowing defeatBy Roy S. Ramirez

My partner knocks at the next door as I stumble through the
mounds of literature, trying to get a handout ready. "Yes, who is
it?" says a voice through the iron clad screen. "Hi, my name is Roy
Ramirez and today I’m precinct-walking to inform the community
about a proposition on the ballot," I respond.

"Come on in … Can I get you something?" he replies. "Oh, sure!
Sir, have you heard about Proposition 209, the so called
‘California Civil Rights Initiative?’ " "Nope. Civil rights is
good, isn’t it? What’s that proposition all about?"

"Allow me to shed some light. Proposition 209, the California
Civil ‘wRongs’ initiative, …"

"Not another affirmative action article!" you may say to
yourself. If we are so blanketed with the issue of Proposition 209
and affirmative action, why does the above scenario repeat itself
over and over? Because we at UCLA have privileged knowledge with
resources such as USAC, student groups, and the many concerned
individuals that flood the Daily Bruin with articles about
affirmative action left and right.

But from my observations, it’s the same number of concerned
people who take time to learn about the issues and who take action.
The rest, whether or not they be within our UCLA microcosm, remain
idle in the dark. Read on for my recipe for success in this
campaign.

First of all, we must properly educate ourselves on the issues
at hand. We’ve been reading, seeing and hearing about affirmative
action and Prop. 209 everywhere but do we really know what those
things are and aren’t?

Affirmative action is not a system of quotas (quotas are
illegal). Affirmative action does not permit unqualified
individuals in higher education and in the work place. Affirmative
action does not close doors; it opens them up for everybody. What
affirmative action gives us are policies, programs and laws aimed
at overcoming past, current and future discriminatory or
exclusionary practices based upon race, gender or ethnic origin.
Proposition 209 sets out to exterminate affirmative action programs
in public employment, public education and public contracting.

Proposition 209 is written on the basis that discrimination
against women and minorities has ceased and that affirmative action
is not necessary. If affirmative action is not necessary, why do
women on the average make only 70 percent of their male
counterparts’ salaries? If the bias against minorities does not
exist, why do Native Americans, Asian/Pacific Islanders, Latino/a,
Chicano/a and African Americans combined make up, on the average,
less than 10 percent of the full professors across the nation?
According to a radio ad, supporters of Proposition 209 state that
this proposition will remove unfair quotas and open doors (Get your
facts straight! See above).

Finally, according to Dole’s 1995 federal bipartisan Glass
Ceiling Commission Report, facts reveal that even with affirmative
action in place, men hold 95 percent of top corporate jobs. We have
to know the straight facts to be effective and move on from
there.

It is imperative for us to share this information. Like I stated
before, I believe it’s the same number of concerned individuals who
spend time learning and reading up on these issues. And with any
issue, regardless of what it may be, people have the tendency to
share information they may have with individuals who are already at
the same knowledge base as they are.

Think about it: how many times have you seen an article on
affirmative action and showed it to someone you know who has a
clear understanding of the issue? When we get new facts, new
literature, new anything on what we care for, the first and
possibly the only people we share it with are our friends who could
relate. Compare that to the number of times you showed that
intriguing article to an individual who doesn’t know what’s going
on. I find myself spending more time talking about affirmative
action and Prop. 209 with my parents, roommates and friends as
opposed to people who might not necessarily know about the
issue.

Sure, it makes great conversation and we get to share with each
other how we stand on these issues but how effective are we?

Wouldn’t it be more beneficial for the fight for affirmative
action if we were to raise the knowledge and understanding of
individuals in the dark, so that they, in turn, can share it with
others?

This leads to more than rhetoric ­ we must take action. It
could start off as something as small as telling someone,"Hey, read
that great article in The Bruin on affirmative action."

And not just your "down" friends, but also the people who, as I
stated before, remain idle in the dark. Small steps lead to bigger
and better things. We need to show our community our concern on the
attacks on affirmative action.

We need people to come out to rallies and fight for our rights.
You’ve read the above precinct-walk scenario. How about giving that
a try? You’ll leave contented and empowered, knowing that you
personally have made a difference in many people’s lives. I’ve left
a house with a "warm fuzzy" after hearing countless thank you’s
from an individual saying:"I’m proud in what you’re doing. My
community is always under attack, whether it be in employment or in
education. And what you’ve taught to me, I’m going to fight for,
for my children’s sake."

Educate, share, and take action. Sounds easy enough, doesn’t it?
Then let’s work together and defend affirmative action. Vote NO on
Proposition 209.