Anti-preference initiative launched

Opponents of affirmative action are preparing themselves for another assault on racial preferences, but this onslaught does not involve lawsuits or legislative proposals.

Rep. Deborah Whyman (R-Canton), who has worked with other legislators to bring two lawsuits against the University targeting its use of race as a factor in its admission processes, is planning to begin a statewide petition drive that would put a proposal to ban affirmative action across the state on the November ballot.

"This will be a grassroots effort to repeal government discrimination," Whyman said.

The proposal mirrors California's Prop. 209, which banned the use of race and gender preferences in college admissions and other government-funded operations in California in 1996.

The lawsuits filed this past fall against the College of Literature, Science and the Arts and the Law School may not be necessary to end affirmative action policies, Whyman said.

"Why should we be forced to sue a public institution like the University of Michigan to end race bias when we can do it with a popular vote?" Whyman asked.

Whyman said state programs and institutions should not use racial preferences.

"We feel that people should compete based on merit and ability and nothing more," Whyman said.

But LSA senior Jessica Curtin, a member of the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action By Any Means Necessary, said equality does not exist today, and affirmative action is the way to ensure it.

"Racism and sexism deny opportunity to minorities and women, not affirmative action," said Curtin, who is running for a seat on the Michigan Student Assembly with the Defend Affirmative Action Party.

Lester Monts, associate provost for academic and multicultural affairs, said the petition drive is not on the right track, and affirmative action is an important part of the University.

"Don't these politicians have at least an ounce of creativity and imagination? Must they follow the warped, misguided path of others?" Monts asked.

Curtin said that nothing progressive can come from Whyman's effort.

"I think this means ... that the resegregationists are expanding their attacks on affirmative action," Curtin said.

Monts said there are other problems in the state that could be addressed instead of Whyman's initiative.

"How about a petition drive, Rep. Whyman, to improve K-12 education in Michigan public schools?" Monts asked.

Whyman said the drive will need to collect about 310,000 signatures on a petition before July 6 to qualify the proposition for the ballot. She is currently piecing together the petition and gathering other elected officials to support the drive. These supporters will be announced in the coming weeks, Whyman said.

Whyman said she would not be starting the drive if she did not believe that it would be successful. She said she is confident that if the proposal gets on the ballot, it will pass.

"If we get it on the ballot, I guarantee you I'll have the votes in November," Whyman said.

But Curtin said the proposal, if it makes the ballot, could be defeated if groups like hers organize against it.

"It's impossible to say at this point," Curtin said. "I'm confident we could win, but it depends on how much we organize.

"It completely depends on what we do as students and as supporters of affirmative action," she said.

03-18-98