I’ve been under the weather, so there haven’t been any updates in the past few days, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot to mention!

First, Nathaniel Jones’ death was ruled a homicide by the Hamilton County coroner. Now the caveat is that the coroner says that Jones had a number of health problems that contributed to his death. Though he would not have died at that moment, the coroner urged people not to take this as a case of “hostile or malign behavior.” Okay, I am way too fed up to even comment!

The Daily recently had another Diversity explosion! This week the Daily looked at the new bill HR 333, which seeks to have APIA communities listed as one of the minority groups that would recieve federal grants in higher education. To complement their reporting of HR 333, the Daily also ran Lauren Strayer’s piece entitled, “Racism among friends.” This piece was really pointless, but it keeps ringing in my head, well at least one question does. Why can’t you tell your friend not to use the term oriental now?

Also, this week, NASA co-sponsored a program on secret socities, apparently the session got heated. Now isn’t the term “bashed” a bit prejorative?

The Michigan Ballot Initiative is now upon us! Below you will find an email from Carl Cohen of the Residential College. Beneath his letter in bold is the proposed ballot intiative that will attempt to prohibit affrimative action, and yes that is the correct term, in the state of Michigan! Organized opposition has already begun. The struggle continues.

Colleagues and friends:



You will have noted that the battle over race preferences in

Michigan has begun. It is not a battle over affirmative action;

affirmative action, vigorous steps designed to extirpate all

discrimination by race and ethnicity, are untouched by the proposition

to be voted on. Ours is a country in which racism has penetrated very

deeply; one would be foolish indeed to suppose that there is no need to

continue the battle to uproot it. But that battle, in a decent society,

will certainly not involve the very discrimination that is to be

eliminated. The proposition on which the people of Michigan will vote in

2004 aims only to forbid all discrimination by the state and it

agencies, including the University of Michigan, and to forbid all

preference by race, color, ethnicity, or national origin.

If you come to believe that it is wise to oppose the Michigan Civil

Rights Initiative, that can only be because you believe that the State

or it agencies must be permitted to give preference by race, sex, or

ethnicity. I find it hard to believe that our university colleagues,

proud of the principle of equality that we universally profess, would on

reflection support such preference.

It is my belief that the people of Michigan, of every color and

kind, despise discrimination by race and national origin, and oppose any

preference granted to persons or groups on those invidious grounds. I

think, therefore, that this proposition, the Michigan Civil Rights

Initiative, will be adopted by the people of Michigan, overwhelmingly

and proudly, as Section 25 of Article I of the Michigan constitution.

To help our general understanding of what is at issue in this

matter, I include here an exact copy of the entire text of the

proposition that is to be on the ballot in the fall of 2004. The first

two sentences below comprise the whole of its substantive force. They

appear repetitive, but that is because the University of Michigan, like

some other public universities in Michigan, are constitutionally

autonomous. The complete text — which I support with all my heart —

follows:


—————-



A proposal to amend the Constitution of the State of Michigan to

prohibit the University of Michigan and other state universities, the

State, and all other state entities from discriminating or granting

preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national

origin.

The proposal would amend the State constitution by adding a Section 25

to Article I.

Article I, Section 25

Civil Rights.

The University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State

University, and any other public college or university, community

college, or school district shall not discriminate against, or grant

preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race,

sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public

employment, public education, or public contracting.

The state shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential

treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color,

ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment,

public education, or public contracting.

For the purpose of this section “state” includes, but is not necessarily

limited to, the state itself, any city, county, public college or

university, community college, school district, or other political

subdivision or governmental instrumentality of or within the State of

Michigan.

This section does not affect any law or governmental action that does

not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national

origin.

This section does not prohibit action that must be taken to establish or

maintain eligibility for any federal program, if ineligibility would

result in loss of federal funds to the State.

Nothing in this section shall be interpreted as prohibiting bona fide

qualifications based on sex that are reasonably necessary to the normal

operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting.

The remedies available for violations of this section shall be the same,

regardless of the injured party’s race, color, religion, ethnicity, or

national origin, as are otherwise available for violations of Michigan’s

anti-discrimination law.

This section shall be self-executing. If any part or parts of this

section are found to be in conflict with the United States Constitution

or federal law, the section shall be implemented to the maximum extent

that the United States Constitution and federal law permit. Any

provision held invalid shall be severable from the remaining portions of

this section.

This section applies only to action taken after the effective date of

this section.

This section does not invalidate any court order or consent decree that

is in force as of the effective date of this section.

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Filed under: General

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