Defending what could be

Connerly met with debate, high emotion

More than 500 students fought their way into the Michigan League last night to hear anti-affirmative action leader Ward Connerly speak. The crowd filled the ballroom to capacity, leaving another 100 students barricaded outside chanting, "Let us in."

Although the speech was widely publicized as an opportunity for Connerly, who was instrumental in eliminating affirmative action in the state of California through Prop. 209, to state his position on affirmative action, the evening turned into a hea

EMILY NATHAN/Daily Police enforce the "one in, one out" policy to people seeking entrance into the Michigan League where Ward Connerly spoke last night. More than 100 people were unable to attend the event last night.

ted debate between Connerly and the audience.

Connerly, who served on the University of California Board of Regents when it voted to end its use of affirmative action in its admissions, began by asking the audience to respect his viewpoint in order to allow for a constructive dialogue. He spoke of the hardships he endured as a black man growing up in Mississippi and he described the path he took to become one of the main opponents of what he calls "racial preferences."

"I ask myself three questions: How long should I be angry, at whom do I direct that anger and, most importantly, what good does that do me?"

The majority of the crowd jeered Connerly during the speech, attacking him for his support of a movement they said will continue to resegregate the nation.

Despite the vocal opposition to Connerly, a handful of supporters stood in the ballroom to welcome him and held signs stating "We support Ward and his efforts to end racism."

Speaking for only 10 minutes, Connerly presented his argument and then opened the floor for discussion.

"Make no mistake about it, I do not want to eliminate all affirmative action," Connerly said, adding that he considers racial preferences unconstitutional and immoral.

"We want to abolish those programs that treat people differently," Connerly said.

When the dialogue began, audience members questioned Connerly's role as a black leader who has "sold out his own people."

Connerly said he does not view himself as "a black man, but as an American." He admitted that affirmative action has helped him attain success, but said "that does not mean that I cannot take a position."

Connerly appeared frustrated by the crowd's accusations that he was avoiding their questions. At one point, he threatened to "turn around and walk out the door" if audience members would not let him respond to their statements.

LSA sophomore Andre Vrabel said he was disappointed by the crowd's behavior.

"I think this reflects badly on our school and it shows that students here have very little respect for freedom of speech," Vrabel said. "This is a grotesque parody of what a civil debate should be."

But Connerly said after the event that Ann Arbor was "no different than any place else" and that such reaction is "customary." The same display of emotions in California did not save affirmative action in 1996.

"There were groups in California saying 'We're mobilizing.' They did not do that much," he said.

In recent months, the affirmative action debate has heated up on campus as a result of the two lawsuits filed against the University that target its use of race as a factor in its admissions policies. Connerly said the court will eventually strike down the University's use of race in admissions.

"It points to the fact that there are people who feel they are being discriminated against by the University," Connerly said. "Ultimately, it will be the court that will have to resolve the issue. The courts are going to say, 'you cannot use race, even if it is used to achieve diversity.'"

Taking a broader step than the lawsuits, state Rep. Deborah Whyman (R-Canton) recently annouced plans to collect signatures to put an initiative on the November ballot to eliminate "racial preferences."

Whyman, who attended the speech, said she plans to start collecting the required 310,000 signatures next week.

"If it goes on the ballot, it will pass," Whyman said.

Connerly, who helped pass Prop. 209, which banned the use of affirmative action in the state of California in 1996, said Whyman has a strong case for a similar initiative in Michigan.

State Sen. David Jaye (R-Macomb) said he was disappointed that the crowd did not allow Connerly to speak, adding that the structure of the event created additional difficulties. Jaye said audience members who do not support affirmative action should have been allowed to speak.

Amid shouts of, "How come you're so two-faced" and "Let him speak," students told Connerly that they are part of a national movement to halt the resegregation of the United States.

"Let's embrace our differences," shouted LSA first-year student Boyd White, who asked all University students to fight for equality. "United we stand; divided we fall."

But others heralded Connerly's message.

"Affirmative action is demeaning to minorities, and it should be done away with out of respect for equality," said RC sophomore William Wetmore.

Hours before Connerly's speech began, more than 100 picketers held signs and waited in front of the League, chanting, "Back to segregation, we won't go; Ward Connerly's plan, hell no!"

RC first-year student Daniel Kahn said he joined the protest to show Connerly how University students felt about his visit.

"I think it's an interesting stop for him to make because he should know that he has a lot of enemies here, and we're going to let him know that," Kahn said.

LSA junior Dan Keebler criticized the picketers, saying their demonstration lacked substance.

"It's a lot of noise, weak arguments and a lot of show," Keebler said.

One protester said Connerly is being manipulated by the anti-affirmative action movement.

"He's more like a puppet - a person who can't think for himself. He's conditioned," said LSA senior Larthell Hasan. "He's sitting on his little high chair and doing whatever he has to do to keep that position. He's like a slave obeying his master."

- Daily Staff reporter Eliana Raik contributed to this report.

03-19-98