Court of Appeals Reinstates Anti-Affirmative Action Petition Drive

[CShine]

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - An appeals court has reinstated a petition drive for a ballot proposal to end affirmative action at public universities and other agencies. The Michigan Court of Appeals overturned an earlier ruling that the petition was improperly worded and likely to confuse voters. The decision removes a major obstacle for the campaign led by Ward Connerly, who championed a successful ballot initiative dismantling most affirmative action programs in California. A spokesman for the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, the group circulating the petition, said although they are elated by the decision, it may have come too late to salvage the petition drive for the 2004 ballot.

"We may have to switch gears for 2006," spokesman Chetly Zarko said. "But this gives us a major boost of momentum to continue."

Jennifer Gratz, the group's executive director, told The Detroit News in Sunday's edition that a decision on when the initiative will go forward will be made this week.

Affirmative action supporters say they likely will appeal the decision to the Michigan Supreme Court. A lower court had ruled that the form of the petitions should not have been approved by the Board of State Canvassers. Circuit Court Judge Paula Manderfield said the petition did not reflect that the proposal would alter existing provisions in the state constitution related to equal protection and discrimination. Michigan election law says that if a petition's aim is to change a part of the constitution, it should say so.


http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBQILKKFVD.html

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. Guess the Repubs are scared and want to motivate their base

to get out and vote in November.

[schultzee]

3. Then stop affirmative action for the rich, like the Prez. He was too

slow to get into Yale but did because of "daddy" and "grandaddy". The rich kids of alumni should not get the "priviledge" of attending the school if they can't make the grade. The rich have more affirmative action that the minority groups or the poor.

[madrchsod]

2. i`m glad the racists in Michigan

are standing up and being counted-at least you know who they are. do these people actually think they can turn back time? do they really think they can return blacks and other races to the plantations?