In 1996, California voters struck a decisive blow against affirmative action. In passing the California Civil Rights Initiative (Proposition 209), the voters expressed their opposition to what they perceived as discrimination on the basis of race or gender. Proposition 209's chief backer, California Governor Pete Wilson, has moved ahead with implementing the initiative despite legal challenges and possible conflicts with federal law.
Proposition 209 abolished minority and women preferences in contracts, state employment, and education. Prior to the passage of the proposition, state government had a diverse system of minority and gender set asides, quotas, and preferences in its recruitment and hiring practices. Sometimes a minority or woman who had fewer technical qualifications was admitted to college, hired for state civil service employment, or awarded a state contract based on race or sex.
The supporters of Proposition 209 claimed that their purpose was to help promote a color-blind society. Their assumption is that the college admissions, state hiring, and contracts awards processes occur free of racial or sexual discrimination. While supporters acknowledge that racial and sexual discrimination may have occurred in the past, these practices have since been purged. Thus affirmative action: "Creates a racial spoils system, corrupts uniform standards of achievement, exacerbates racial and ethnic animosities and stigmatizes real minority achievement as being merely quota assisted" (Krauthammer, 1996, p. 94).
Opponents of affirmative action contend that it does more harm than good. One of its most vigorous opponents is Ward Connerly, former chairman of the Proposition 209 campaign and a regent of the University of California. Connerly is also an African-American. Based on his mostly positive life experiences with whites, Connerly believes that affirmative action is a hindrance to improved racial relationships. ...