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Volume 8 no. 1 GROUPS CALL ON ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESS TO STAND FIRM ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
In a strong display of solidarity, representatives of women's organizations including the nation's most influential feminist groups joined with other organizations to warn Congress and the Administration of the political ramifications that would result fr om any retreat on affirmative action. At a March 15th press conference in Washington, D.C., Eleanor Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority noted, "In this affirmative action debate, women's jobs and women's futures are on the line. Those of us w ho have been defending greater opportunity for women know the importance of affirmative action. We will not be eliminated from this debate. We will not be put in a box and set aside once again."
Calling themselves "Women United For Equality," the multi-racial coalition representing women's, civil rights, religious, professional, labor and educational organizations all across the nation stressed that affirmative action has had a signific ant impact in opening up opportunities for women and that efforts to drive a wedge among voters by framing this debate only in terms of race were inexcusable. Barbara Arnwine, President of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, stated her hopes that the press conference would help eradicate the myth that affirmative action benefits only African Americans and that it has limited utility for the rest of the nation. She noted, "We want it to be very clear that women have been major ben eficiaries of affirmative action and that without it our prospects in this country are bleak. We will not allow people to drive a schism between women, between blacks, between Asians, and between Hispanics and between all men and women of this country on this issue."
Groups ranging from the Women's Legal Defense Fund to the National Council of Senior Citizens as well as the 9 to 5 National Association of Working Women were represented at the press conference. In highlighting the economic need for affirmative action, the coalition indicated that every American benefits as a result of affirmative action. The coalition's statement also noted that affirmative action benefits families, especially given the current economic conditions that require several members of the f amily to work to make ends meet.
In discussing the impact of affirmative action on women the statement asserts that affirmative action helps families by providing working wives, daughters, and mothers with opportunities they were previously denied despite their merit, and that now is not the time to turn back the clock on all the progress the nation has made in encouraging inclusive efforts by employers, educational institutions and public contracting officials to recruit, train, hire, promote, and contract with women and people of color who would otherwise be excluded. Even with the significant gains that have been made over the past thirty years, women and minorities still fall short of reaching true equality. For example, a woman working full-time, year-round earns only 71 cents for every dollar earned by her male counterpart.
Among the other points made in the coalition statement were the following:
Women are united for equality. We will accept no retreat on affirmative action.
Affirmative action has helped to open doors, benefiting women, people of color, their families and the national economy.
Affirmative action is good for America, good for business, and good for working people because it promotes the values of inclusion, fairness, and merit.
Affirmative action does not mean quotas or arbitrary preferential treatment.
After the press conference, the group marched to the White House before attending a meeting with high administration officials at the Old Executive Office Building.
Women's Equality Poll
On a related matter, the Feminist Majority Foundation issued the results of a survey of the attitudes of a cross-section of American women and men across the country and a cross section of voters in California that included their views on affirmative acti on. The participants were initially asked if they favored or opposed a California referendum that reads:
"The state will not use race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin as a criterion for either discrimination against, or granting preferential treatment to, any individual or group in the operation of the state's system of public employment, publ ic education, or public contracting."
The result was that by 81 percent to 11 percent, an overwhelming majority of the respondents said they would favor this proposition if it is offered in their state. All groups included in the survey, in all sections of the country, including those who fa vor or oppose affirmative action-blacks, Latinos, women, liberals, and Democrats all say they would favor the initiative. But when the participants were told that passage of the proposition would affect affirmative action, support for it drops to 29 percent. The respondents were asked:
"Would you still favor this proposition if it would outlaw all affirmative action programs for women and minorities?"
"Would you still favor this proposition if it would discourage or even end programs to help women and minorities to achieve equal opportunities in education and employment?"
"Would you still favor this proposition if it would discourage or even end programs to give women and minority-owned businesses a chance to compete with other businesses on getting government contracts?"
In response to the first question, 29 percent said yes and 58 percent said no. Support for the second question was 30 percent and opposition was 58 percent, and for the third support was 31 percent and opposition was 57 percent.
And when participants were asked directly about their support for affirmative action, more than two-thirds expressed support for it. Respondents were asked whether they supported the following statement:
"The state may use affirmative action programs designed to help women, minorities, and others who have not had equal opportunities in education, employment, and in receiving government contracts to achieve equal opportunities." Sixty-eight percent of the respondents expressed support for the statement, and 25 percent expressed opposition to it.
  
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