Colorado Unity Vows to Defend Affirmative Action
Feature Story by civilrights.org staff - 8/7/2003
Colorado Unity, a coalition of civil rights organizations, has pledged to defend affirmative action programs in the state from attacks by Governor Bill Owens and right-wing activist Ward Connerly.Owens has repeatedly criticized the recent Supreme Court rulings in the University of Michigan affirmative action cases, and said that he would support efforts to end affirmative action in the state. Simultaneously, Connerly has expressed his intent to campaign for a statewide voter-based initiative to ban affirmative action in the state.
In response to Governor Owens, state Senator Pat Pascoe, ACLU Board Member, former State Senator Polly Baca, LARASA Executive Director, Karen Nakandakare, Asian Pacific Development Center, and Rico Munn, State Board of Education Member all spoke at the Colorado Unity press conference, vowing to thwart any effort to end affirmative action in the state.
"We support affirmative action and opportunity because it benefits all Coloradans," said former Democratic state Sen. Pat Pascoe at the press conference. "Affirmative action programs continue to be fair, effective and, most importantly, necessary," she said.
Immediately following the press conference, Colorado Senator Jim Dyer, a Republican representing Littleton, announced that he would sponsor legislation to require a colorblind system of admissions to the state's public colleges and universities and a system that gives out scholarships based on merit and need.
Colorado is not the only state that will likely become a battleground for anti-affirmative action initiatives. Michigan may see an initiative as soon as next election year.
