Show IPS?: Se£s “Right conclusions are more likely to Be gathered out of a multitude of tongues than through any kind of authoritative selection " v £ v — Judge Learned Hand American Page 22 Thursday October 24 1996 The Herald Journal Logan Utah ) )uriet(1S72-1fei- California proposition could signal key shift in US civil rights law By William A Rusher Newspaper Enterprise Association The critical importance of Proposition 209 resides in the message its passage (or defeat) will send to the rest of the states and to A xAltcr the presidential race and perhaps certain senatorial races on Nov 5 the most closely watched and by long (xlds the most important contest on the ballot anywhere will be Proposition 209 in California: the California Civil Rights Initiative For California is the bellwether slate in this as in so many other respects and how it votes on this issue will go far toward Congress If the biggest state in the union votes strongly against race preferences even while giving its electoral votes to Mr Clinton politicians won’t have to have a degree in rocket science to figure out that that particular stealthy game is up deciding whether America continues to honor ind- merit or ividual decides officially to reward people with state jobs contracts and co- admissions llege on the basis of their race ethnicity or gender The CCKI is based squarely on the principle that underlay the Civil Rights Act of 1964 It even echoes its wording for its key clause which would amend the state constitution is majestic in its simplicity: “The whose ancestors at least were unquestionably disadvantaged by the legacy of slavery The politicians have expanded the honey pot to include all sorts of minorities — Samoans for example — who have never suffered discrimination at all In short the state of California has been up to its cars in a system of race preferences and just hoping nobody would notice Well at last they have noticed lire State Board of Regents has already voted to eliminate such quotas in college admissions under the leadership of Gov Wilson and a courageous black regent named Ward Conncrly who knows all too well how race preferences 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 con- tracting" Why should such a provision even be necessary in view of the clear intention of the 1964 Civil Rights Act? It is neces- f sary because beginning in the Johnson and Nixon administrations a series of executive orders judicial rulings and regulatory decrees have quietly turned that Act around exactly ISO degrees Instead of forbidding preferential treatment of any particular group government policy has become to favor members of allegedly “disadvantaged minorities" with slate jobs stale contracts and admivsions to stale colleges that they could not obtain competitively on (heir own merits No law of Congress or decision of the Supreme Court has ever authorized a racial preference (for example) unless there was explicit proof of prior discrimination in that business or college against members of a particular race Yet in California applicants for admission to stale colleges with demonstrably superior academic qualifications have been routinely can devalue the worth of a diploma awarded to an unqualified recipient Now Conncrly is leading the battle for Proposition 209 Polls indicate that the initiative is supported by 53 percent of California voters with only 36 percent opposed and 1 percent undecided In desperation its foes have turned to the only strategy left: 1 lying about what it proposes They charge that it would eliminate all “affirmative action" programs but that is sim- ply untrue: Conncrly and its other sponsors strongly favor such forms of affirmative action as outreach programs and job training The critical importance of Proposition 209 resides in the message its passage (or defeat) will send to the rest of the slates and to Congress If the biggest state in the union votes strongly against race preferences even while giving its electoral votes to Mr Clinton politicians won't have to have a degree in rocket science to figure out that that particular stealthy game is up The next step will be a federal law decreeing its elimination rejected because they were of the “wrong" (usually while or Asian) racial background The same is true of applicants for stale jobs and businesses making the lowest bids for state contracts Moreover preferential treatment hasn't been confined to black citizens Press 8 for consumer outrage By Ellen Goodman The Boston Globe I is 8:30 in the morning and I am a gas station in a silk suit with an unusual fashion accessory dangling from my standing at right hand This metal and rubber economist exclaims about the millions of new jobs and a worker counters "I know I have four of them” In my variation on this theme another economist brags about jobs in the service industry and the consumer says "I know I'm doing them all" g The part of the economy is not the service industry It's the industry The motto of the new age is: Help Yourself The generic story is that of the company phone operator whose job has been fastest-growin- self-servi- accouterment looks exactly like a gasoline hose In fact it is a gasoline hose I am poised (for disaster) at this outsourced to customers The Great American Gripe is about the endless minutes spent wending our way through multichoicc listings before we get to the person or information we want (Press 9 petroleum estab— for Frustration) lishment w hich boasts of But that's just the beginning which is to say no service because there We now have a supermarket that not is no longer any station on my corner which has "full service" which is to say only allows us to pick our food from (he shelves but scan it ourselves at the any service At precisely K:33 as if on cue the checkout counter We have telephone hose balks the gas leaps from its point companies where "directory of destination and proceeds to decorate assistance" forces us to shout the town and name we arc after into an electronic my skirt in fashion familiar to Jackson void Pollack fans Across the country home delivery is The transfer of gas to silk is accompanied by expletives which will he deleted increasingly replaced by pickup If you If you break it for the family newspaper It is followed buy something it back And if it's a refrigerator by a return home a change of clothes a trip to the cleaners and a delayed start of you sit home at the convenience of the truck driver more than an hour Even in the world of alleged health Normally I would spare you the details care once house calls went the way of But of a gasoline-splattere- d morning this event was accompanied by a reverie milkmen wc learned to haul each body about the brave new economy part to a separate specialist But now wc We all know the joke arc sent home from hospitals with that stop just about the job market of the 1990s An instructions on self-car- e self-servi- ce ed uI ul now-class- ic short of a appendectomy I am not opposed to the self-hel- p ethic ' I am still amazed and delighted that an’? ATM machine in Seattle will give SHXT? to a woman from Boston But I rebel at the casual ways corporations have downsized by replacing employees with consumers Did anyone i ask us if wc want to moonlight for them? Of course this is all done or so wc arc ! told in the name of competition lower prices and the American way When j Southwest Airlines initiated a policy of i BYO food and had passengers transfer their own bags the airline bragged of J low fares But sooner or later compcli- - ' tors will pare down fares will creep up and we will he left toting the bag Where arc the economists who tally up the of time and money an4 energy from them to us? When compa- - m nics boast that wc pay less for gas do they include the cost of our labor not to mention dry cleaning? Do companies add up the wages lost ' 1 while the country's on hold? (Press 8 for ! Outrage) And do they include the cost to us of being hassled? ! I hear that a modest rebellion is encouraging a few new businesses — even an oil company — to advertise their ' latest frill: people But the whole trend of the new economy is some perverse j play on the great American can-d- o spirit That wc can do everything on our own and without ever encountering another human being But before my gas tank runs dry again may I suggest a rallying cry from those ? who only serve themselves: Help! X cost-shifti- Your view special qualification on the Cache ty School Board Vote for Tamara Vote for Tamara Grange in Cache school election Coun- To the editor: Glen and Francinc 01 i verson Smilhfield Our neighbor Tamara Grange is a longtime friend and neighbor of ours She graduated Irom Sky View with honors She is a close friend of our Candidate Monti Jones a leader hard worker daugnters During their high school days she was in our home on many occasions We came to know her very well and To the editor: become aware of her talents and achievements which were mans As our neighbor wc revere her as an outstanding mother and homemaker an accomplished musician and one who is deeply concerned about the welfare of others She desires the best for her children as well as others in our schools She is one who will listen to the concerns of others and will work for the got of the entire school district Wc have spent our entire lives working in education and wc see the need of her In today's busy world much of our information seems to come from billboards sound bites and advertising jingles National polls may convince us that “my" vote won't matter But within this political confusion and negativism there is an election that I know I can affect There is a crucial choice right here in District 5: and in this election “my" vote will count This year I am excited to have the opportunity to vole for Monti Jones for the state legislature District 5 Monti has served on the governor- s Strategic Plan for Education Task Force and on the Providence City Economic Development Task Force She has been involved in PTA on the local the district and the state levels Monti is a leader in Cache Valley: but more importantly she is a worker She will be aggressive in implementing bills and supporting programs that encourage a world-clas- s education: she w ill work to our natural resources and prime preserve farmland She will be an advocate for strategics that strengthen the family and also promote sensible economic growth Monti is a very intelligent woman: she realizes there must be maintained a careful balance of business agriculture family and the manv’ elements that make up Cache Valley Mrs Jones is running against Evan Olsen Mr Olsen has held this legislative position for a number of years and is running on his record a record of consis- tently voting against crucial bills to improve education and support family causes Olsen's record on higher education is one of the worst in the state only supporting higher education bills half of the time litis voting record docs not represent the many men and women in this valley who are involved in education: nor docs it demonstrate concern for current or future students Mr Olsen's voting record would indicate he doesn't realize or value the role Utah State University plays in Cache Valley Olson's voting on Utah children The Kids Coalition is even more dismal For the last three years Olsen has supported children's issues less than one third of the time Fred Hunsaker Steven Bodily and Eli Anderson have each voted to support these children's needs twice as often as has Mr Olsen Monti Jones has the qualities wc need in the state Legislature She will represent more than one group more than one political view Monti will work for our Mallard Fillmore vuf 9 a AU Hi Hear tfVrr $twT sorb He Keef iNOBCJ OR ulHflTVW foe t W W4(? Melt dot dWacTCR ftrr Honkti Rfcftrt itUT WKl ftei jo? t A 14 OB SOMCTHin& ‘ i c Herald Journal Editorial McyMDamm The Opinion page s intended to acquaint readers with a variety of viewpoints on matters of public importance and provide members of tbe community with a forum for their views Persona' columns carioons and tetters from reades reflect the opinions of their writers and creator Editorials under the heading "Our View1 represent the vews of the Heraid Journal edio-iboa'C Member of the editorial board are a' BRUCE SMITH publisher CHARLES McCOLLUM managing editor JENIFER HINES cey edfor RAEANNE TMAYNEtiews edlor 1 children their future their education and their quality of life This year I feel very strongly that I can have a say: my vote docs count District 5 needs total representation Cache Valley needs Monti Jones Dianne K Anderson Logan t3 : Election letters deadline Oct 31 The Herald Journal will accept uo letters to the editor or guest commentary submissioM dealing with 1996 election issues or candi- dates past S pm Thursday Oct 31 No election-relate- d submit- sions will run in the newspaper ' ‘ '' ’ past Sunday Nov 3 Lettersjpoii The Herald Journal welcomes letters to the editor Potentially libelous or offensive letters wHi not be published however and the editor reserves the nght to edit all letters to conform to the length and style requirements of the newspaper Letters should be d Typewritten and No more than 450 words m length Addressed and include daytime phone number for purposes or verification Signed by the author Individuals are limited to one published within any period Address letters to hjletterghinews com Guest are also welcome and are run at the editor s discretion doubie-space- let-te- r 30-da- y POOR |