We are still a racist society

I found the presentation on the law and politics of affirmatives action to be really informative, if not a little bit scattered. Before last Wednesday, I didn’t know anything about California’s Prop 209 and I’m from California! I had never even heard of Ward Connerly and Jennifer Gratz. I loved how passionate Professor Hart was and how she laid out exactly what would happen in Colorado if Amendment 46 passes and what had happened in states that voted yes in the past. It is interesting that even if a similar law is passed in two states, the way each state handles it is very different. This is all due to the fact that the American Civil Rights Institute did not enforce their desired change in Michigan and the fact that the governor of California at the time was a proud supporter of Connerly. It is incredible that the wording of an amendment can make or break its passage. The two words, “preferential treatment” destroyed any affirmative action in California. I agree with Ashley when she says that the “language of the amendment… masks its true intention.” That was better than I could have said it! I was slightly confused at the beginning of the presentation and couldn’t seem to grasp all the names and laws, but I eventually figured it all out. I loved when Professor Hart went more into the broad idea that there is so much rage in our society today about race and the so-called opportunities they get because of equal opportunity. I didn’t even realize it, but sadly, white women have benefited the most from equal opportunity. It’s so frustrating that we are slowly getting rid of our equal opportunity amendments before they truly can benefit minorities. I liked that Professor Hart addressed the fact that ending equal opportunity is idealistic in that we still live in a racist society, not matter how badly people want to believe that we don’t. I was shocked to hear that Boulder has only 140 African American students out of almost 30000 students. As I’m writing this, I’m noticing how carefully I’m choosing my words, for fear that I sound racist. When I discuss gender, it is easier because I am a woman, I am the victim whereas in the case of race, being Caucasian, I feel like the bully.