Think Before You Ink

[Double A]

Petition Circulated To End Affirmative Action, Community Leaders Say
KOTV - 11/5/2007 5:12 PM - Updated 11/5/2007 5:12 PM

A drive is underway to change Oklahoma's constitution with an initiative petition. Backers claim it would end racial preference, opponents claim it would increase discrimination. It is called the Civil Rights Initiative and it could be on the ballot next November. The News On 6’s Emory Bryan reports while it sounds like something that might help ensure equal rights, opponents claim it is going to end a program they've counted on to counter discrimination.

You might have seen the people collecting signatures on a petition and not known what it was all about. A group of lawmakers and African-American leaders claim it's a disguised attempt to end affirmative action, which they claim is not about preference, but equality.

“They want to say anti-preference initiative because they know if they said affirmative action, right minded folks, black, brown, red or white, are going to say 'wait a minute,'" petition opponent Regina Goodwin said.

A California political group is behind the initiative petition, which is being promoted as a way to end racial preferences in state hiring and spending. They have signature collectors approaching people asking them to sign and many have, and it is happening in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. But lawmakers claim people are not fully informed of what they are signing.

"Is it fair for a person to sign without knowing truly what this initiative petition does?" Representative Jabar Shumate said.

Shumate wants people to refuse to sign because if it got on the ballot and was approved, it could end affirmative action. That is not clear from the start of the sales pitch.

“They're trying to put it on the ballot that you're not discriminated or preferential treatment for race, religion or national origin,� said a petition worker.

But when asked, the collector said it would impact it.

"It would be dealing with affirmative action," the petition workers said.

“Would it change it?� asked News On 6 reporter Emory Bryan.

"I think it would change it, because if you do it on qualification, it wouldn't be based on color or creed," she responded.

The lack of clarity, some say, is reason enough to refuse to sign.

"Either they think we're stupid and don't care what's going on, and I think that's what they're banking on, people who aren't reading or listening," said Goodwin.

The exact language from the petition is virtually the same wording used in several other states where voters approved it and ended affirmative action.

Several state lawmakers believe the language is misleading and they want to change the petition process to put these changes into plainer language that better explains what would happen. Regardless, it will not impact this petition, because it is already underway.

 This could jeopardize the Federal Indian Lands Tax Credit, the same way the Cherokee Freedmen vote has threatened their federal funding. Oklahoma would lose a powerful economic development tool that benefits tribal and non-tribal businesses in the state alike, especially in northeastern Oklahoma.

Decline to Sign.

[sgrizzle]

There was one of these petitionaers on the main mall today.

[guido911]

Oh goody, another thread whereby if someone believes we should live in a colorblind society, they are a racist.

[Chicken Little]

quote:Originally posted by guido911

Oh goody, another thread whereby if someone believes we should live in a colorblind society, they are a racist.

Gimme a break.  What, exactly, is "colorblind" about the society we live in today?  Do you think that simply declaring it will make it so?

[guido911]

Am I the only one tired of your never-ending, droning message? We get your point--America is bad. This is a horrible place to live if one is not white. The rich oppress the poor. Blah blah blah...

[waterboy]

I came across them on the Civic Center Plaza during the summer. One of the workers was a middle aged black woman which lent them some credibility. When I asked a question about why this was necessary when there were already protections under the law against discrimination they just repeated the phrase about ending racial preferences. I declined to sign without more understanding and was offered materials to read.

Its never been clear to me why its okay for Native Americans to run employment advertising touting "native american preference applied" but the same ad with, "Jewish, Irish, Hispanic preference applied" is not okay. We are by no means color blind or ever will be.

[cannon_fodder]

I have a dream that one day my son will not be judged by the color of his skin but by on the content of his character.  

So long as colleges, employers, government offices, scholarships, magnet schools and contractors are required by law to give preference to certain skin colors my son will be judged first on his skin color and then have to fight back with his character.   In the colleges that have been sued on it, having "colored" skin is worth as much as .5 on your GPA.  So a 3.01 black student would get in over a 3.5 white student, and just for fun the black student would then get a minority scholarship.

Same basic principle applies to contractors on projects getting government funding, large employers, etc.  We are FAR from color blind.   The laws actually encourage institutions to give racial preference.  There is a reason a "race" box exists on most forms still, its because the government essential requires it to maintain "diversity."  

Of course, diversity is a one way street - my son will not be getting into the U of New Mexico or UTEP on a minority scholarship nor Tuskegee, Xavier, nor Howard.  He will not get a scholarship from the United Negro nor Native American college fund and the "white people" college fund doesn't exist (nor should it).  If he starts a business in Memphis, Miami, or San Antonio he will  not get special government contracts because he is the minority.  And it doesn't matter that he is Irish-German from the Midwest, that won't help him at all if he moves to Hawaii, they are not interested in that kind of diversity.

I saw some petitioners at Oktoberfest saying something about supporting diversity and thus opposing this measure.  I understand that to be code for "encouraging governmental mandated racial preferences."  I want to judge people as people, not as a skin color so I passed them by.  If other organizations want to do business or offer charity based on skin color I won't try to stop them (receipt of scholarships or charity is not a "right"), but I want no part of the practice nor any organization participating in such.  
- - -

Per the Indians:  since they are officially recognized as quasi-sovereign nations their enterprises are kind of quasi-governmental agencies and can give preference to its citizens.  Just like an American company can prefer to hire US citizens over aliens.  They also prefer Indian owned businesses as contractors.
- - -

ps. to support diversity lets get the government to mandate a quota of homosexuals at ORU and at least 1 gay teacher at every elementary school.  We're interested in diversity right?

[Chicken Little]

quote:Originally posted by guido911

Am I the only one tired of your never-ending, droning message? We get your point--America is bad. This is a horrible place to live if one is not white. The rich oppress the poor. Blah blah blah...

I get that you are tired, if that's what you are asking.  Why else would you choose to express yourself through a stream of threadbare, wingnut cliches?  Talk about droning.  You could take this form of soul-art over to Free Republic or some other conservative echo-chamber if you wanted...and you'd never have to write "blah blah blah" again.  But instead, you post here.  

I think I know why.  So, make your case.  Why don't we need affirmative action?  Is racism a thing of the past?

[Double A]

[jamesrage]

I think race based hiring preferences/race quotas  should stop.Jobs should be first come first serve to who ever is qualified.

[cannon_fodder]

quote:Originally posted by jamesrage

I think race based hiring preferences/race quotas  should stop.Jobs should be first come first serve to who ever is qualified.

+1

I have been taught my entire life that the notion that someone should get preference because of the color of their skin is wrong.  I still think it is wrong.

[waterboy]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

quote:Originally posted by jamesrage

I think race based hiring preferences/race quotas  should stop.Jobs should be first come first serve to who ever is qualified.

+1

I have been taught my entire life that the notion that someone should get preference because of the color of their skin is wrong.  I still think it is wrong.

Unless they are citizens of quasi-sovereign nations made up of a single race? Unlike citizens of other nations, the India nation does not accept citizens who are not Indian blood. Even if they were slaves of that nation who bred with them. So the trick is to organize your race into a nation, then you can justifiably discriminate.

Jews created their own nation comprised primarily of Jews. So, does that happen in Israel? Can Jews (I know its not a race but darn close!)legally descriminate against non-Jews? Just how much discrimintion based on race, creed or color can we tolerate?

[Double A]

Yeah, we live in a colorblind world, alright.

http://www.civilrights.org/issues/hate/remote-page.jsp?itemID=28372039

FBI Releases 2004 Hate Crime Statistics


December 7, 2005

FBI statistics released in October document an increase in hate crimes in 2004 over those reported in 2003.

The FBI defines hate crimes as acts of violence motivated by race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity/national origin. According to the FBI's "Hate Crime Statistics, 2004", 7,649 hate crime incidents were reported by 12,711 police agencies across the country - up from 7,489 reported by 11,909 agencies in 2003.

"The report serves as a wake-up call that hate crime remains a national problem in America," said Barbara B. Bailser, ADL National Chairman and Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. "Hate violence in America requires priority attention by law enforcement officials, policymakers and educators."

Racial bias accounts for the majority of hate crimes (52.9 percent), followed by religious bias (18 percent), sexual orientation bias (15.7 percent) and ethnicity/national origin bias (12.7 percent), according to the FBI report.

[Double A]

Working for a Fair and Just Oklahoma

CIMARRON ALLIANCE FOUNDATION, INC.

www.cimarronalliance.org

November 30, 2007

GAY COMMUNITY OUTRAGED BY HATE CRIME

"The gay and lesbian community in Oklahoma is outraged by the brutal murder of Steven Domer, our thoughts and prayers as a community go out to the family and friends of Mr.Domer" said Richard Ogden, Chairman of Cimarron Alliance Foundation, a gay and lesbian advocacy organization.

62 year-old Steven Domer, a gay man, was abducted from NW 39th Street near Pennsylvania Avenue on October 26; his body, bound in duct tape and with a coat hanger twisted around his neck, was found on November 4. The self-proclaimed “general� of a white supremacist gang has been charged with the murder. Because Oklahoma's hate crimes law does not cover sexual orientation, the murder – although clearly a brutal hate crime driven by hatred of homosexuals – is not considered a hate crime.

http://okstonewall.org/forums/index.php?topic=2328.0

[jamesrage]

A 1st degree murder case should be treated like 1st degree murder case.