Policy Position

Racial discrimination still plagues some areas of our society, yet because of the nature of man will unfortunately never be entirely eliminated. Nevertheless, government must ensure that it is not participating directly or indirectly in its continuance, which it has done to a greater and greater extent since the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

In an attempt to ensure equality of opportunity, various governmental systems have been put into place over the years to right past wrongs. Rather than work towards equality of opportunity, laws as well as regulations have been put into place that attempt to ensure equal outcomes. These systems have evolved into affirmative action programs as well as goals to create a diversified (race and gender) workforce in nearly every government agency and program as well as in nearly all educational institutions. Charts and graphs abound displaying racial and gender statistics that compare results in hiring, educational admissions and achievement, incarceration, etc.

Colorado citizens took an important step in rejecting Amendment 46 last November. In the future, Colorado must look at programs where federal funds are received, and if federal law requires the maintenance of classifications based on race or gender in order to satisfy requirements for certain federal funding, Colorado should distance itself from those programs.

While diversity is a preferred outcome, it should never be the goal of any state agency or tax-supported institution. Preferential treatment based on race or gender requires discrimination of other races or genders. It also avoids asking the hard questions as to why such groups need such special treatment. In the case of race, could it be because of fifty years of welfare programs that have encouraged the breakup of families, the support of unwed mothers, the hostility of government and others to faith-based solutions?

Colorado must no longer condone the use of policies/programs that distinguish individuals based on race or gender. It must strive for a color-blind society, if we are to achieve equal opportunity for everyone. Only then will we be able to say that there is only one race in America and that is the human race.

"God hath made of one blood all nations of men." John Jay (first Chief Justice of the United States from 1789 to 1795) quoting the Apostle Paul

Supplemental Information

Speeches

GOP Senator's Remarks for MLK Day 2009

11/14/08 - Anne Wortham Cannot Celebrate the Election of Barack Obama
Anne Wortham, an Associate Professor of Sociology at Illinois State University and expert on racial relations in politics, tells her fellow African Americans her reaction to the election of President Barack Obama.

Letter from the Birmingham Jail
This speech was delivered by Martin Luther King April 16th, 1963 during the heights of the Civil Rights movement. It exemplifies the deep religious faith in Christ that motivated his desire to see justice for Negroes throughout America.

Articles:

8/14/00 - Blacks and Bootstraps
This article, written by Thomas Sowell, a African American, takes an interesting look at racial minority progress of the last century.

7/14/98 - Race Dialogue: Same Old Stuff
Thomas Sowell, an African American writer, takes a look back through history to gain perspective on today's issue of race discrimination. He uses this historical perspective to counter popular preconceptions about minorities and economic success.

Links:

Colorado Civil Rights Initiative