Affirmative Action is on the Chopping Block

Ward Connerly is back. Connerly, the black man who singlehandedly dismantled Affirmative Action programs throughout the nation, has helped put the issue on the ballot in 5 states. The vote will give residents of Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma the chance to get rid of Affirmative Action in all government funded projects and public schools.

Connerly's organization is called the American Civil Rights Coalition. He claims that the group is designed to end race and gender based preferences. His group is the main supporter of ballot initiatives.

The ballots will state that "The state shall not discriminate against or grant preferential treatment to any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education or public contracting."

Connerly is not willing to discuss what the government is obligated to do in order to remedy past discrimination. He only speaks to refusing the government's right to remedy it today. Connerly argues that good white students should not be passed over in favor of students of color, no matter what kind of past discrimination can be proven to exist within a given university.

"It's foolish not to think that the kid who is turned away is not going to ... resent that," Connerly said.

The ballot is called the Civil Rights Initiative, and it has already passed in Washington, Michigan and California. If the ballot passes in other states, it will cut off funding to any program that works to remedy racial imbalances within universities.

The conservative slant of the Supreme Court is likely to give additional support to the initiative. The election of President Obama may make a difference, but given that many white Americans do not support Affirmative Action, it may be tough for Obama to stop the initiatives that have been set forth by Connerly and his group.