Affirmative action revisited

Naomi Lede
Columnist

September 30, 2008 11:35 am

— The New York Times columnist, David Brooks, (Houston Chronicle, 9/21/08), discusses what he called a philosophical debate with which the Republican Party must deal. “Philosophical debates arise at the oddest times, and, in the heat of this election season, one is now rising in the Republican ranks, “he said. Continuing, “the narrow question is this: Is Sarah Palin qualified to be vice president? Most conservatives say yes, on the grounds that something that feels so good could not possibly be wrong.”
He also reminded us that some of the nation's most seasoned commentators, like George Will, Charles Krauthammer, David Frum suggest “in different ways that she is unready…”
An examination of Palin's experiences reveals that she does not come close to having the qualifications and experiences of Sen. Hillary Clinton, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, or Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice — to mention a few.
Yet, the McCain campaign continues to promote Palin as a reformer. Do we need an unqualified “less than two-term” governor from Alaska for our vice president just because she is a woman? Do we really think that she is the “poster lady” for affirmative action?
Affirmative Action: Protests against the concept of “affirmative action” have been used by old and young Republicans alike to imply that whites, irrespective of their “cranial” status, are more qualified than African -Americans; that despite evidence of high achievers among all nonwhites in every respect, they are not worthy of admission to the nation's mostly white colleges/ universities and prestigious positions in the workplace.
The Young Republicans, founded and sanctioned by Karl Rove, offered cookie sales on college/university campuses in Texas, California, Michigan, Indiana to illustrate preferential treatment.
Horace McMillon (Huffington Post) noted that during this 2008 election, “Ward Connerly” and his friends in the GOP are up to their old tricks.
In a desperate attempt to cling to power, Republicans are placing ballot initiatives on affirmative action in swing states in order to bring out voters and wedge independents away from Democrats.”
Efforts are being made to foster resentments and misperceptions about affirmative action in the work-place. Why? In these difficult economic times, there will be fewer jobs and fewer middle class students — whether they are white, African- Americans and others — able to go to college. The focus should be on revitalizing the economy, quality education/retraining of the workforce.
Arthur Fletcher, 80, a maverick Republican, proudly laid claim to the title “the father of affirmative action.” A secretary of labor in the Nixon administration; he served in the Ford and Reagan administrations. His actions set the stage for today’s workplace and workforce diversity efforts.
In the 1960s, Fletcher was asked to devise a plan that required federal construction workers in Philadelphia to set goals for hiring minorities and to make a “good faith” to meet the goals or face sanctions. The plan became a model for affirmative action programs. When the U.S. Supreme Court heard a University of Michigan affirmative action case in 2003, he warned that opponents of affirmative action “were trying to demonize the term.” His predictions came true.
Fellow Republicans, particularly Karl Rove and the Young Republicans, introduced the notions of “quotas,” “preferential treatment” and “reverse discrimination” all of which were designed to appeal to white conservatives and segregationists.
A career military man, Fletcher devoted his life to public service, equal rights and the benefits — not liabilities — of affirmative action. Conspicuously absent from the affirmative arena was any notion that whites, including women, could be deemed unqualified - not because of the color of their skin but because of limited experiences, mediocre or poor performance.
GOP Dilemma: Is Palin really qualified for the VP job? An examination of Gov. Palin’s credentials, indicates that she is less qualified than most vice presidential candidates.
Writing about Palin, Mark Finkelstein indicates that a former aide to President Clinton, accused Palin of being an “affirmative action” pick that is not qualified. TNTalk writer, Leon Walker, wrote a thought-provoking and compelling commentary about affirmative action.
“The deserving should never be penalized for succeeding in their endeavors,” he said. Neither should those who fail in their endeavors be expectant of recognition/advantage.
Walker notes that McCain has “been the beneficiary of that which is not deserved” and so has Palin. It is this debate vs. the impacts of political manipulations that stains the McCain-Palin Republican presidential ticket.
Continuing, “Senator McCain may best be remembered in history as the father of the Republican Affirmative Action Program.”
If Gov. Palin had demonstrated that she is “among” the best and the brightest the nation has to offer, if she were “among” the most accomplished female politicians in America and if she was the most deserving of her historic selection, I would stand an applaud, says Walker.
Or even if she was not the most accomplished or qualified, but was personally and intellectually the essence of a stellar role model, I would stand and applaud.
Others believe that McCain has lowered the bar. Palin met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe this week in New York during the opening of the U.N. General Assembly.
In an act of shuttle diplomacy by the McCain campaign, she got her first intelligence briefing and crash course. She has acknowledged having little experience in international affairs and got her first passport to visit Alaska National Guard members serving in Kuwait and Germany.
One meeting will not an experienced candidate make! It is my hope that Palin, an affirmative action selection that appears to be void of wisdom, did not use her sarcasm and “lipstick references” as she greeted foreign leaders at the U.N. General Assembly.

Naomi W. Lede is a retired Senior Research Scientist, Distinguished Professor, and former University Administrator. She serves as Chair of the Board of the Samuel Walker Houston Museum and Cultural Center in Huntsville.