CA 54: CA is a racist state

San Diego Union-Tribune ^ | 09-26-03 | Joseph Perkins

[Alia]

California is a racist state.

That's not my opinion. That's the implicit view of those who oppose a ballot measure that aims to end the odious practice in the Golden State of classifying people by their "race." Proposition 54 would forbid state and local government agencies in California from identifying individuals by their skin color for purposes of public education, public contracting, public employment and other government operations.

Foes of the measure, from Jesse Jackson to Cruz Bustamante, fret that California's nonwhite population somehow will be irreparably harmed if it is approved by the voters.

They insinuate that California's white population cannot be trusted to treat nonwhites with fairness, without prejudice.

They suggest that, unless the Golden State continues to keep score on the races of those enrolled in its public schools and colleges, awarded its public contracts, hired to its government jobs, whites in charge will reflexively discriminate.

What astounds is that race demagogues like Jackson and Bustamante are hardly the only ones who hold this view. Many whites in California also share this view, particularly those who consider themselves enlightened on matters of race.

The "enlightened" whites think themselves above race prejudice, beyond race discrimination. But they think the rest of California's white population is less colorblind than they.

So they oppose Proposition 54 ostensibly to keep other whites honest. And to affirm their solidarity with blacks, browns, yellows and reds in the continuing struggle of those "minorities" for race equality.

The perverse irony is that the white and nonwhite foes of Proposition 54 find themselves supporting public policy ­ classifying individuals according to their skin color ­ that has a long and racist tradition.

Indeed, one of the most reviled pillars of South Africa's apartheid system was its so-called Population Registration Act.

The law, which Nelson Mandela's African National Congress described as "inhuman," required that each and every person be classified as either white, colored or Bantu (black).

America's equivalent of the Population Registration Act was the Old South's Jim Crow laws. It classified individuals by race for purposes of preserving divisions between whites and nonwhites. It gave us the infamous "one-drop" rule ­ if a person had as little one drop of black blood coursing through his or her veins, he or she was classified as black.

The early leaders of the civil rights movement in this country made a persuasive case against the race-conscious public policy that California now practices; that foes of Proposition 54 would maintain in perpetuity.

As far backs as 1949, Thurgood Marshall argued on behalf of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund that "classifications and distinctions based on race or color have no moral or legal validity in our society." Is there anyone among Proposition 54's white and nonwhite opponents who would dismiss Marshall's words?

Who would defend Jim Crow? Who would condone the Population Registration Act?

Of course not. Yet, they advocate that California continue to classify its residents according to their skin color. And they employ the most dubious arguments to justify their support for public policy that has no moral or legal validity.

Like the claim that, if California health care providers stop collecting race data, the state's nonwhite population will not receive proper medical treatment.

That does not jibe with the scientific findings of J. Craig Venter, who founded Celera Genomics, the biotechnology firm that shares credit for decoding the human genome.

In a recent issue of Science, Venter says that collection of race and ethnicity data ­ for clinical drug trials ­ could lead to "misleading and biologically meaningless conclusions." That's because "race" is a social, rather than scientific construct.

"Instead of applying social categories," he wrote, we should be promoting obtaining scientific data. Color of skin does not work as a surrogate."

In fact, he noted, several scientific studies have shown that there are more differences in drug responses within racial and ethnic groups than among them.

Then there's the implication ­ made most recently by the three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that tried unsuccessfully to stop the recall election ­ that if California law enforcement agencies stop collecting race data, the state will see a rise in both hate crimes and racial profiling.

Yet, the state government's nonpartisan legislative analyst attests that Proposition 54 allows the collection and use of relevant race-related data for purposes of law enforcement.

The foes of Proposition 54 should stop hiding behind excuses for voting against the measure. They should just come out and acknowledge that they think California an inherently racist state.

Perkins can be reached via e-mail at joseph.perkins@uniontrib.com

[Kerberos]

It never has been a matter of if we discriminate or not. It's just a matter of who is doing the discriminating.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

California is not a racist state, it's a lawless state!

When the governor of the largest state goes against the law and common sense by signing an illegal bill, big changes are needed.

When a state gives preferences to foreign invaders rather than it's own native born population, insanity has taken over!

The entire state government needs a good house-cleaning immediately!!

Is the entire population of California into S & M?

It sure seems like it to me!

[Carry_Okie]

I can easily forsee the passage of this law followed by subsequent racial discrimination on the part of a Latino majority who would have no such scruples against systematic bias. It makes for an interesting twist.

[Mike Darancette]

California should come up with a single letter code to designate race, the lower the letter the "Whiter" you are so that an individual could be known "A Whitey Mulligan", "M Jose Lopez" or "Z Jessee Jackson". This way you would know who is who upon meeting or coresponding.

Would also make it easy to assign blame in civil rights crimes and asigning benefits.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Is the entire population of California into S & M?

No, the entire population of California is into creating a life of leisure for themselves.

They aren't paying any real attention to politics.

Because of this shallowness, the hard Left has entrenched itself into the Legislature and continues to pass disastrous legislation with feel-good overtones and gather just enough support from the distracted public to get reelected.

The one thing that might get the Democrats out is a major disaster, like a 9.0 earthquake in LA. When the people of California finally are forced to focus their full attention on the incompetence of Sacramento (like the power crisis and Davis) heads will roll.

[God is good]

DUH! Socialism = racism. :) Flame away.

[Burlem]

Cruz's ad against 54 is also lawless, as he is in the ad.
The ad itself is a lie, as it says that if 54 passes then t many minorities will be hurt from lack of medical care.
That initself is a lie because 54 does not include medical it is exempt.
Furthermore, if 54 passes why would the minority population be hurt anymore than the white population? The whole thing is stupid, and political.

[Gritty]

Kalifornia Democrats and other racists (but, I repeat myself) are on the same page as Heinrich Himmler!

[jordan8]

Even if proposition 54 is passed it will never be allowed to stand. Much of this data is mandated by the Feds.

At a larger level, Prop 54 is a method of avoiding reality and confrontation. It pretends that if we close our eyes to the issues of race those issues will go away. They will not. Immigration and all the programs that require racial data aren't about helping minorities they are about disempowering whites. Prop 54 ignores the nature and goals of the system. Imagine Poles in 1941 going hat in hand to the German colonial government and begging them to cease classifying the inhabitants of Poland by race. The Germans fully intended to colonize Poland and wipe it off the face of the Earth as a culture and nation, even if a few "Aryanized" Poles managed to survive. No dicking around with words would have changed that ultimate reality.

In a recent issue of Science, Venter says that collection of race and ethnicity data ­ for clinical drug trials ­ could lead to "misleading and biologically meaningless conclusions." That's because "race" is a social, rather than scientific construct. "Instead of applying social categories," he wrote, we should be promoting obtaining scientific data. Color of skin does not work as a surrogate." In fact, he noted, several scientific studies have shown that there are more differences in drug responses within racial and ethnic groups than among them.

Total bollocks. Race is real, physical, concrete. It can be readily discerned by most 3 year-olds. The medical differences between races are real and well documented. The only result of ignoring those differences will be the deaths and crippling of millions, a price Mr. Venter, in his totalitarian zeal to uphold the party line, is bravely willing to accept. 400 years after Galileo, and a new religion is suppressing inconvenient scientific fact.

[Sabertooth]

California is a racist state.

That's not my opinion. That's the implicit view of those who oppose a ballot measure that aims to end the odious practice in the Golden State of classifying people by their "race." Proposition 54 would forbid state and local government agencies in California from identifying individuals by their skin color for purposes of public education, public contracting, public employment and other government operations.

Foes of the measure, from Jesse Jackson to Cruz Bustamante, fret that California's nonwhite population somehow will be irreparably harmed if it is approved by the voters.

Arnold Schwarzenegger opposes Proposition #54.

[Roscoe]

Foes of the measure, from Jesse Jackson to Cruz Bustamante

To their comrade Arnold Schwarzenegger...

[DoctorZIn]

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[evolved_rage]

Of course California is a racist state. Whites hire non-whites, who in turn, only hire their own races. Whites facilitate racism.

[Sabertooth]

The medical differences between races are real and well documented. The only result of ignoring those differences will be the deaths and crippling of millions

Proposition #54 has an exception for medical research.

(f) Otherwise lawful classification of medical research subjects and patients shall be exempt from this section.
LINK

[Roscoe]

Proposition #54 has an exception for medical research.

They don't know, they don't care. They're just parroting Arnold's falsehood.

[tallhappy]

Foes of the measure, from Jesse Jackson to Cruz Bustamante, fret that California's nonwhite population somehow will be irreparably harmed if it is approved by the voters.

And Arnold Schwarzenegger - he, Jackson and Bustamante etc...all oppose this measure.

I cannot support Schwarzenegger for this (and other) stances he holds and advocates.

He is not a step forward for California.

[tallhappy]

So you are for 54?

[Steely Glint]

The minorites don't want discrimination to ever end. They juts want their turn with the whip.

And they're getting it in California. Between the anti-white racism and the illegal immigrants being handed driver's licenses, if you are white and live in the Granola State ("What isn't fruits or nuts is flakes!"), you are well advised to move out now.

[WillowyDame]

"So you are for 54?"

good question ..after reading his post..

i was not sure if he was pro or against!!

jeez i chucked it up to my not being too bright!!