Although it took the Detroit News a good while to reconcile its news stories with the vote totals it reported (see post immediately below), the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative (MCRI) has been approved overwhelmingly by Michigan voters. With 4676 of 5681 precincts reporting, the proposal to ban preferences based on race, sex, or ethnicity has won 59% of the vote, despite a Democratic sweep of the major races in Michigan.
I must say that I feel absolutely elated! I have been saying for a while that I would not only trade a Republican House but even a Republican Senate for an MCRI victory in Michigan, and as of this writing (1:15AM) it appears that voters have taken me up on my offer.
Finally, I must also say that I believe the country owes a large debt of gratitude to Jennifer Gratz and Ward Connerly. They are truly Great Americans (to borrow a term that Sean Hannity has almost made trite), and they have done more to make what Gunnar Myrdal called “the American Creed” a reality than anyone I know.
You, John, were also a big part of the victory. Your tireless work I am sure gave intellectual support to the proponents of this important initiative.
Think about how much money and attention was devoted to defeating it. It is amazing that it won by such a large margin.
Three for three. All in blue states. What does that say about race preferences in the U.S.? Supported by elites of all parties and institutions, but opposed by majorities of the public.
“Republicans supported it 76% to 22%”
While the Republican party and all major officeholders opposed it, and the GOP lost control of one house of the state legislature, and slipped in the other.
Gee, you suppose the party might try taking the same side on the issues as it’s members some time? That might even give us some reason to vote for them…
I don’t have anything to add except “hear, hear!”
John, I echo vnjagvet in saying you were very helpful in this process in both the support and actual direct media effects of this blog, and I think it is important not to overvalue Ward and Jen’s contribution at the expense of the thousands of volunteers and donors that worked on the initiative. I was director of “outreach” before being Treasurer and Dir. of Media Relations, so I can speak authoritatively (though not “officially”) in saying that there were at least 1400 individual donations and more than 400 unique donors during the just the signature phase of the drive (that number has expanded), many donating $5 and $10 dollars, and that there were several hundred volunteer signature gatherers, perhaps more than a thousand (I received the mail from hundreds, although I was not responsible for databasing it). I know we had hundreds of volunteers as well from the size of our email and call lists, and I suspect that number grew in 2006 after I left.
At the same time I would say that Ward and Jen’s contributions were stellar.
While I never believe that exit poll crap (look, it was by its own admission outside the margin of error) regarding Republicans supporting MCRI, let’s do some math.
If Republicans were 75% in favor of MCRI, then, since Devos took 41% of the vote, that means 30% of the voters were Republicans that voted for MCRI. Since MCRI received roughly 60% of the total vote, and Republicans constituted 30% of that share, that means another 30% of the vote, or half the voters, came from Democrats (of course, this whole analysis ignores independents, and assumes the definitions of the exit polls of Repub. and Dem).
Strong bi-partisan support!
MCRI won by more than the Democratic Governor, who also won big. Dems must have voted in droves for this.
Indeed, the Republican losses make the victory all the more impressive.
Of course, exit polls tell a variety of things, Chetly..
According to CNN exit polling from Michigan:
85% of people who voted were White, and of those Whites, 64% voted “Yes” on Prop 2. 12% of voters were African-American, and 86% of those voted “No.”
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006//pages/results/states/MI/I/01/epolls.0.html
Case closed.
White advocacy + White voting majority = White victory. That’s nothing new in American History, so I’m not surprised in the least.
John writes:
>>>”Finally, I must also say that I believe the country owes a large debt of gratitude to Jennifer Gratz and Ward Connerly. They are truly Great Americans (to borrow a term that Sean Hannity has almost made trite), and they have done more to make what Gunnar Myrdal called “the American Creed” a reality than anyone I know.”
Umm..you have the right to your opinion on whether Jennifer Gratz is “great”. I would certainly disagree that stoking massive angry white backlash over personal feelings of misplaced entitlement is something worthy of the “greatness” label.
Ward Connerly?
“Great American?”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAfYu_htDpU
For those not inclined to watch and hear that clip:
>>>”In a video posted to the Web site YouTube.com, Ward is shown saying, “If the Ku Klux Klan thinks that equality is right, God bless them.”
Connerly, who is black, defended his remark, saying he accepts support for banning affirmative action wherever he finds it.”
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061104/NEWS99/61104012
Can’t say this shocks me, either. I’ve been telling readers of “Discriminations” for years now about Connerly, but here he is…on camera, revealing his true colors (no pun intended.)
Typical.
–Cobra
Cobra — If the Ku Klux Klan were for better roads would you oppose that?
Umm..you have the right to your opinion on whether Jennifer Gratz is “great”. I would certainly disagree that stoking massive angry white backlash over personal feelings of misplaced entitlement is something worthy of the “greatness” label.
The right not to be discriminated against is an entitlement, not a “misplaced” one.
Connerly was obviously being ironic; like you, the KKK does not believe in equality.
eddy writes:
>>>”Cobra — If the Ku Klux Klan were for better roads would you oppose that?”
Depends upon what their motivation was. I would question EVERYTHING the Klan proports to stand for, and EVERYONE who stands with them.
Do you find THAT a surprising reaction from a conscious African-American male?
David writes:
>>>”The right not to be discriminated against is an entitlement, not a “misplaced” one.”
Apparently, that “right” is only applicable to white co-eds with non-spectacular ACT score who don’t get their way.
At least that’s how it seems on “Discriminations”.
–Cobra