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Joe Kohn of The Michigan Catholic
Published April 14, 2006

Southfield – What can Michigan's leading Catholics, Jews, Baptists, Latinos, African-Americans, Arabs, Asians, Democrats, Republicans, union representatives, manufacturing companies, social workers, teachers and lawyers all agree on?

Archdiocese of Detroit Chancellor Msgr. Robert McClory speaks at an April 6 press conference for One United Michigan, a coalition assembled to defeat an anti-affirmative action proposal on November’s ballot. Msgr. McClory is flanked by One United Michigan co-chairmen Heaster Wheeler (left) and Paul Hillengonds (in back).

The answer is concern for civil rights.

It's not a trick question, either, for One United Michigan, a group of leading men and women from prominent faiths, associations and businesses across the state.

One United Michigan – which the Church has pledged to support and which Cardinal Adam Maida is helping to lead – last week launched its campaign against the so-called Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, a ballot measure that in November will have voters choosing whether to take the option of affirmative action away from organizations funded by state dollars.

"As people of faith, we are obliged to pray and work for our society to overcome the past and present effects of discrimination," said Msgr. Robert McClory, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Detroit, at a One United Michigan April 6 press conference. "We look with hope for the day when the effects of discrimination will be overcome. Sadly, that day has not yet arrived and therefore we oppose this ballot proposal."

Why vote 'no?' The Church is against a Michigan ballot proposal that would prevent publicly funded entities from applying affirmative action to hiring and admissions processes. Here are reasons why: Women earn 67 cents for every dollar men earn. The No. 1 beneficiaries of affirmative action for the past 30 years have been women. African-American households earn 39 percent less than white households. The proposal would put at-risk funding for support of female victims of domestic violence. Programs to address gender-specific health programs, such as breast, cervical and prostate cancer screenings, also would be at risk. Source: One United Michigan

Affirmative action is the use of race and gender data in admissions and hiring processes to ensure that qualified minorities and women comprise a certain percentage of educational and professional opportunities. Many public institutions in the state rely on affirmative action to maintain diversity and fairness.

The Michigan Civil Rights Initiative would take the option of affirmative action away from institutions that receive any state funding.

The Church supports judiciously applied affirmative action to help overcome past attitudes of racism and sexism, hence its backing of One United Michigan.

The ultimate goal for One United Michigan is to get as many Michiganders as possible to go to the polls in November and vote "no" on the proposal, which has not yet been labeled.

Msgr. McClory joined people representing such a diverse range of organizations that some joked they never worked together before and they'd never work together again.

What a 'yes' vote would do… After a similar amendment passed in Washington, Seattle's public works contracts awarded to women and minorities shrank by more than 25 percent. After a similar amendment passed in California, women hired at University of California at Davis dropped by 39 percent. In California, the number of African-American and Hispanics admitted to University of California Berkley dropped from 1,607 in 1997 to just 625 in 1998. While California construction jobs have increased since the amendment passed, the number of women in construction in the state has dropped by 33 percent. Source: One United Michigan

Rev. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit branch of the National American Association of Colored People, said the broad-based coalition has its work cut out for it.

"We don't possess a 'Goliath' mentality," said Rev. Anthony at the press conference. "We have a 'David' determination."

The coalition's task does appear large. Early polling by national pollsters has found broad support for the ballot proposal. One United Michigan's data, however, indicates that the more people know about the devastating effects of the proposal, the more likely they are to vote against it.

The press conference marked the beginning of a statewide educational campaign that will include newspaper advertisements, television and radio commercials, talks in churches and other grassroots efforts.

Gail Torreano, the first female president of AT&T Michigan, spoke at the press conference of the opportunity women have in Michigan because of affirmative action – and her concern that that opportunity would dry up should the ballot proposal pass.

"While our state and country have come a long way, we are not there yet," Torreano said, regarding gender equality in the workplace. "I want to be assured that my granddaughters will have the same opportunities I have had in Michigan."

Though Church institutions will not be affected by the legislation, the Church is supporting the One United Michigan cause as a matter of civil rights, focusing especially on how the proposal would hurt educational opportunities for women and minorities.

To learn more, visit www.oneunitedmichigan.org, call (517) 482-1438, or write to Michigan United, P.O. Box 81156, Lansing, 48908.