Apr 26 2009
Jerry Brown says Prop 209 is unconstitutional
Jerry Brown is a very strange man. He takes the job he was elected to do and neglects to do it. His job, as Attorney General, is to defend the propositions that the people vote into effect. His job is to prosecute those who are committing crimes against the state. He thinks his job is to run for Governor in the next election.
His latest tactic is to call Prop. 209 unconstitutional. Prop. 209, passed in 1996 with 54% of the voters, prohibits the government from giving preferential treatment to women and minorities. Brown says that it is unconstitutional because it prohibits all affirmative action programs. Sorry? How is prohibiting affirmative action unconstitutional?
There is nothing in the Constitution about affirmative action. Nothing. It says that, under the 14th Amendment, everyone has the same rights regardless of race, religion and gender. That’s it. Nothing about affirmative action.
Affirmative action doesn’t work. All it does is foster resentment among those who feel they are passed over for affirmative action candidates. It also puts those people who were promoted, or otherwise benefiting, from affirmative action in a bad spot with people who think they only got where they were because of affirmative action. There is nothing about affirmative action that doesn’t stink.
People get where they are on the basis of what they can do, their credentials, and who they are. We have an African-American President, a large percentage of non-white legislators, an immigrant Governor, and an African-American Attorney General. There are also numerous people who have succeeded without affirmative action. Affirmative action takes the responsibility for success out of the hands of individuals - which is where it belongs. If you want to succeed - you work hard and do your best. In order for people to do this, they must know that they have equal chances of being promoted.
Also, minorities in California are everyone. For the first time in history, there is no racial majority in California. So who would affirmative action benefit now?
Affirmative action is a bad idea. It smacks being condescending, as if people cannot succeed based on their own merits, and instead need something to help them. If you look at the make-up of the world today, you can see that affirmative action isn’t needed on racial and gender lines. If anything, affirmative action is needed in socio-economic lines: and we have that. It is called need-based aid and scholarships.
