Petitions OK'd to ban racial preference
Detroit Free Press
December 12, 2003
By Dawson Bell LANSING -- The campaign to ban racial preferences in Michigan cleared its first, and probably least difficult, hurdle Thursday when a state elections panel signed off on the form of petitions to begin circulating in January. The campaign, known as the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, would prohibit government agencies and universities "from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin." It arose out of reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to uphold the use of affirmative action in admissions to the University of Michigan. The ballot proposal faces a long, spirited battle. In Thursday's opening round, opponents tried in four hours of animated testimony to convince the Board of State Canvassers that the petition should be rejected because it was, in the words of one critic, "intentionally deceptive." When the board rejected those arguments -- claiming it had little discretion to deal with anything but technical details -- a group calling itself the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action went to court. Coalition attorney George Washington said the petitions should be barred because potential signers won't understand what the proposed constitutional amendment would do. Washington said adoption of the amendment would "fundamentally change" existing civil rights protections. Washington said late Thursday he expects a hearing on the lawsuit after the holidays. The proposal will need the signatures of about 320,000 registered voters to be placed on the November 2004 ballot. It was clear Thursday that the effort will be hotly contested every step of the way. Another coalition of opponents -- a formidable collection of labor, business, civic and religious organizations calling itself Citizens for a United Michigan -- attended Thursday's hearing. That coalition did not oppose the election board's action, but is expected to mount well-funded opposition in the months to come. Both sides predict a fierce fight over how the proposal would be described on the November ballot. The canvassers also approved petition forms for a group that wants a veto-proof ban on a controversial procedure that opponents call partial-birth abortion. The People's Override campaign is an effort of the Michigan Catholic Conference and Right to Life of Michigan, and follows Gov. Jennifer Granholm's veto in October of an identical ban. The campaign needs to collect 254,000 signatures in six months. If it is successful the Legislature can enact the statute without the governor's signature. Planned Parenthood of Michigan and the American Civil Liberties Union predicted Thursday the effort will be wasted because the proposed limits on abortion would be overturned in court.
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