Since the Supreme Court upheld diversity as a compelling
interest in higher education, American Civil Rights Coalition
Chairman Ward Connerly has been suggesting that he will try to
fight the decision with a voter initiative in Michigan.
Connerly — the University of California-Berkeley regent
who led successful voter initiatives that ended affirmative action
in California and the state of Washington — will be speaking
at a press conference hosted by the The Michigan Review at noon
tomorrow on the steps of the Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library.
According to a written statement, Connerly “will announce
the next step for all those who oppose the government-sponsored
practice of treating people of different ‘races’
differently” at the press conference.
The Associated Press reported that Connerly said a previous
effort at starting a Michigan ballot initiative four years ago was
suspended because it was believed the issue would be resolved by
the Supreme Court.
After the Court’s decision allowing the use of
race-conscious admissions, interest in a ballot initiative
resurfaced.
“This pushed us over the edge,” Connerly said about
the rulings.
Connerly said that, in Michigan, organizers have to get
signatures from at least eight percent of registered voters in the
last election for governor.
“Once we generate sufficient organization from people in
Michigan for this, we’ll pass the baton to them,” he
said.