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O pinion
Januaty 22. 2003
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Anti-Affirmative Action by Bush Tragic
A non-partisan consortium of six of the
nation's leading civil rights legal organiza
tions dedicated to affirmative action con
demns President Bush’s decision to file an
amicus curiae brief against the University
of Michigan's race conscious admissions
programs.
"On the anniversary o f Dr. Martin
Luther K ing’s birthday, the president’s
decision to attack affirmative action, the
gateway to opportunity for many of the
nation’s disadvantaged minority stu
dents, is a sorrowful indicator that Dr.
K ing’s dream remains unfulfilled. For
more than a quarter century, affirmative
action has been a building block for
programs that corrected past discrim i
nation and promoted racial diversity and
excellence in higher education,” a state
ment from Americans fo ra FairC'hance
said.
“It is surprising to see that a President
who demands diversity in his Cabinet and
who will likely seek to nominate the first
Latino to the Supreme Court would attack
the University of Michigan for desiring the
same goals,” said AFC spokesman Antonia
Hernandez.
"Affirmative action programs have
played an essential role in opening oppor
tunities for women and minorities to lake
their rightful place in our society. The
President's decision represents a disturb
ing step backward in this nation’sjourney
toward equal opportunity for all Ameri
cans," said Marcia D. Greenberger, co
president of the National Women’s Law-
Center
"Bush's opposition tothe University of
Michigan’s affirmative action program
sends a tragic message to millions o f Afri
can Americans and Latinos who rely very
heavily on education as an avenue to op
portunity,” said Shirley J. Wilcher, AFC
executive director.
Struggle for Justice Takes a Hit
Julian Bond. chairman o f the
hoard oj directors for the NAACP.
issued the following statement in
response to President Bush 's oppo
sition to the University o f Michigan 's
affirmative action program The
constitutionality o f the program is
now before the U.S. Supreme Court:
“As expected. President Bush has
come down on the wrong side of the
struggle over justice in higher edu
cation. 'Racial prejudice,’ the presi
dent said, 'is a reality,’ but at the
same time he wants to end the most
effective remedy against it.
The president characterized the
University of Michigan's affirmative
action program as a ’quota,' which it
failure to support justice.
V
Affirmative action is thejust spoils
o f a righteous war, won at great cost
and intended to heal division and end
centuries ofdiserimination. Unfortu
nately, this is one war the president
does not think worth fighting.
The president complained that
black applicants at Michigan were
given 20 points toward admission,
- NAACPchalrman Julian BondonPresi- not because of ’life experience,’ he
dent Bush's opposition to affirmative ac said, but because of race. But life
tion at the Universltyof Michigan.
experience in the 2 1 st century is de
termined by race. Race colors all our
is not. His use of the word ‘quota,’ lives.
with all its overtones of supposed
Coming on the birthday o f Martin
preferences to allegedly unqualified Luther King Jr., this is a sad, sad gift
persons, is an attempt to disguise his and a poor way to honor his memory.
Coming on the
birthday o f Martin
Luther King Jr., this is
a sad, sad gift and a
poor way to honor his
memory.
better to the (3Lditor : Health Care Reform Needed
I he I ortland ( Jbserver has taken a
good first step in supporting the
Wyden-Hatch Health Care ActfJan. I
issue). Never before has there been so
much collective frustration with the
health care system in this country.
I wouldliketocncouragcThcPort-
land Observerto take the lead in begin-
linga discussion of what constitutes
iffective health care?
lotal spending on health care in the
UnitedStates moreappropriatelycalled
‘disease management"
was up 8.7
xtreent in2001.1 hat is both dishearten-
ngand tragic, buthaidly surprising. The
trend will surely continue.
Economics have dictated that medi-
calcaremaximizeprotitandmimmize
lime invested in treatment, leaving both
doctors and patients frustrated. That
leaves us with a system that “treats"
disease predominantly through medi-
cations that foster a lifetime of depen-
dency on that system. Rates of chronic
disease rise alongside the rising use of
pharmaceuticals to hide their symp-
toms. Consequently, there is no rea-
son to think the health care bill will
decline anytime soon.
There are alternative ways to ere-
ate and maintain health, but they
largely ignored by a bureaucn
heavy, profit-driven healthcare
tern. A health care system that a
ally enhances well-being while il
creases costs will come not al
through greater access or che;
drugs' It will come about throu)
different understanding o f whs
means to “treat" disease, and t
working toward a system that s
ports that ideal.
Greg Nigh, ND, Lac
Naturopathic physician s
licensed acupuncturist
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