Ward Connerly and Affirmative Action Foes in Michigan Concede, but Aim for 2006
Feature Story by Ritu Kelotra - 6/16/2004
In a victory for affirmative action and equal opportunity, Ward Connerly announced that he will postpone his campaign to pass the so-called "Michigan Civil Rights Initiative," (MCRI) which aims to ban the use of affirmative action in the state.Citizens for a United Michigan (CFUM), a broad-based, bipartisan coalition of statewide organizations, is leading the opposition to Connerly's efforts. The group includes Detroit Renaissance, ADC Michigan, ACCESS, NAACP, Michigan Catholic Conference, ACLU, Michigan Federation of Teachers, American Association of University Women, National Council of Jewish Women, YWCA, AFL-CIO, AFSCME, and many others.
"The decision to postpone Ward Connerly's misguided petition drive is another sign that he recognizes Michigan is an uphill fight when it comes to his effort to subvert public support for equal opportunity for women and minorities," said Wade Henderson, executive director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights.
While Connerly's recent decision applies to the November 2004 ballot, he and his allies said they plan to push for a similar initiative in 2006. CFUM and other proponents of afffirmative action said they will continue to oppose Connerly's efforts.
Connerly's announcement to postpone the MCRI campaign came almost a week after the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled in support of the petition, which overruled a lower court ruling that the petition did not state its intent in compliance with electoral law.
