The Language Barrier: Lies and Deceipt in the War on Affirmative Action
The Detroit Free Press recently published an Op-Ed by Roger Clegg, of the anti-affirmative action Center for Equal Opportunity, that was intended to muddy the waters of Michigan’s affirmative action debate. Clegg sites a recent survey which “suggests that voters are more likely to oppose the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative (MCRI) if the phrase ‘affirmative action’ is used in the polling question.”
This is because the MCRI hopes to ban affirmative action in some State of Michigan entities like universities, and while this initiative is likely to gain traction in some segments of the population, most Michiganders recognize that discrimination still exists in the state. The actual ballot language uses these words - “ban affirmative action”, and this is troubling for the “anti-” groups because it neutralizes one of their most effective tools - negative language.
Advocates of MCRI claim that their plan seeks to eliminate race-based discrimination and preferences in the state. Their assertion is that, as Clegg states, “The phrase ‘affirmative action’ is an ambiguous term, and the opponents of MCRI will no doubt try — as they have in the past — to use the term’s ambiguity to hide what is really at issue.”
In reality, it is the proponents of MCRI who have used deceipt to promote their initiative, going so far as to commit “massive voter fraud” in the gathering of signatures for the petition, as reported in The Michigan Citizen. The Michigan Civil Rights Commission found that they lied to thousands of people by stating that the initiative actually promoted affirmative action.
Anti-Affirmative Action groups often use language to confuse voters when discussing the issue. They use trickery to exploit the very educational barriers that affirmative action programs like those in the State of Michigan’s university system seek to eliminate. Even the names “Center for Equal Opportunity” and “Michigan Civil Rights Initiative” are subversive in nature.
Though Clegg and MCRI president Jennifer Gratz would deny it, affirmative action is not about closing doors for anyone. Its purpose is to ensure that doors are open to all citizens regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation.
Over the last 40 years affirmative action has helped US citizens accept the fact that this is a multi-cultural society. The gains have been tremendous for the entire nation - not just women or people of color. The MCRI and the current immigration battle in Congress are about the same thing. Some people want to make sure that the dominant culture remains dominant, and that others are relegated to the sidelines. This is unfortunate because the strength of America has always been its diversity, and many in the country finally understand this.
Hopefully the people of the state will see through the double-speak and deception that is used by groups like the Center for Equal Opportunity and the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative.
