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BPW/MI Monday Minute October 16th, 2006
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Affirmative Action equals diversity and
inclusion.
The election on November 7th will have historical
significance that could forever change the nature of
Michigan’s identity and commitment to social justice.
President Kennedy was among the first to use the term
“affirmative action.” President Nixon adopted affirmative
action goals as part of federal contracting policy. These
actions came out of the recognition that women and
minorities were not being given equal opportunities in
employment and contracting. Affirmative action is an
important tool that remedies past discrimination, fights
present-day discrimination, and promotes diversity in our
society. Affirmative action programs focus on recruitment,
outreach, and training in higher education, employment, and
contracting. These initiatives provide equal access to
educational and professional opportunities to those
qualified individuals who would not have had access despite
their strong qualifications.
Affirmative action programs are not:
Quotas
Set-asides
Preferences
Affirmative actions programs are:
Opportunities for inclusion into the process of contracting,
hiring, and admissions.
Women have been the greatest beneficiaries of affirmative
action programs. The programs of the last forty years have
opened doors for them to compete in the process of
contracting, hiring, and admissions. While doors have
opened, women in Michigan still face challenges in the areas
of apprenticeship programs, training programs, minority
business enterprise programs, fair housing and lending
programs, minority oriented career programs, and support
services.
On June 23, 2003, the Supreme Court validated affirmative
action policies and initiatives in its decision in Grutter
v. Bollinger, clearly stating that diversity is a compelling
state interest and that race could be one many factors in
higher education admissions. Reinforcing the goals of
affirmative action, the Supreme Court stated, “Effective
participation by members of all racial and ethnic groups in
the civic life of our Nation is essential if the dream of
one Nation, indivisible, is to be realized.”
Faith-based leaders across the state have defended
affirmative action as promoting social justice, stating that
they defend a social policy which preserves our common
message of human dignity and hope. They have stated that
eliminating all programs that address inequalities of
opportunity or special needs that exist for women, for
persons of color, and for ethnic or national minorities is a
threat that would take Michigan backward.
VOTE NO on Proposal 2 - Save Affirmative Action Programs
that benefit women!
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