Ward Connerly, a UC Regent who is most known for his involvement in Proposition 209, which ended Affirmative Action in California, claims that the constitutional amendment will finish what the Civil Rights acts started, and create a "color-blind society."
Supporters of the initiative believe that Prop54 will end racial bias by erasing it from public documents. But will it? By taking away resources needed to prove where racism still exists, it will not erase racism, but rather make it harder to detect.
If Proposition 54 passes, California will lose
information to address:
* race-related hate crimes
* racial disparities in health issues
* racial disparities in education
* the needs of ethnic communities
* housing discrimination
* unfair government treatment based on race
* biased treatment in jobs, schools, and public
facilities
Check-off boxes: Some people find them useless or annoying. Why should I have to disclose my race when applying for a job or taking a standardized test? What many people fail to understand is that these boxes are optional. By filling them out, you are not affecting the outcome of the particular application, form, or test. Rather, you are volunteering to provide valuable information to help determine which areas a particular ethnic group is lacking, excelling, or needing help in. While those who do not feel comfortable using these boxes have the option to not participate, Prop54 will disable everyone from participating in racial information, even those who find this information valuable.
What will it mean if we lose racial information? Hate crimes statistics, a particular ethnic group's lack of educational resources (such as bi-lingual education and co-ed programs), some studies of how diseases such as cancer, Hepatitis B, and HIV affect certain ethnic groups differently from others, and information for other important issues that are unavoidable in society will be impossible to attain. While racism is something that we have certainly not yet conquered, Prop54 will bar us from attaining resources needed to inform people about issues that specifically affect people of color, and how we can solve them.
What can I do?
*Register to Vote (www.rockthevote.com) for the
October 7 election
*Learn more about Prop54 @
InformedCalifornia.org
*Share this information with people you know
* Vote NO on Proposition 54 on October 7, 2003!
Visit www.ill-literacy.org for more.
What is HR 333?
HR 333 (introduced by Congressman David Wu), if passed and signed into law, will provide support ($30 MILLION) to colleges and universities to address and serve the unique needs of AAPI students and communities. Go here for more information.