Anti-Affirmative Action Measure All Wrong For Spokane

Initiative 200, which would outlaw special efforts to diversify the work force, masquerades as a “civil rights” measure, having been so branded by its purveyors. Actually, it is a dangerous political effort with an ulterior motive having nothing to do with civil rights.

This is my personal opinion. However, I know that a substantial cross section of the business and professional community opposes this measure.

Last fall, the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce made some mistakes of insensitivity at its annual meeting. Those mistakes, however, also resulted in a silver lining; namely, intense introspection and fostering of new dialogue which otherwise might not have occurred. In connection with those events in the fall of 1997, I participated in a number of meetings with the leadership of minority communities in Spokane. For the first time in my life, I actually started to get what thousands of great Spokane citizens have endured institutionally for so many years.

My thesis, shared by a number of business leaders in Spokane, is that beyond the obvious moral issue, a crucial issue is one of economic development. It is critical to the next phase of economic growth in this area that we confront and actively work to improve the situation. Initiative 200, if adopted, will take away a primary tool available to achieve that goal.

As an optimist, I believe the average citizen knows that society will progress only if we continue efforts to diversify our population, and hence the work force, and ensure that Spokane promotes and is nourished by a climate of diversity.

Moreover, during the past several years, particularly in connection with economic development, there has been a positive attitudinal change among employers in the Spokane area. Diversity efforts, called “affirmative action” or variations on that theme, have been strengthened by these businesses and other organizations.

Whatever you call it, work force diversity is a necessary element to ensure economic development. As current chairman of the Spokane Area Chamber, I have become aware that CEOs and local managers of businesses have directed that recruitment efforts and interviews be designed to ensure the opportunity to achieve a diverse work force. One Spokane executive refers to his efforts to recruit a Caucasian scientist from Pennsylvania for a critical position. Of primary concern to the recruit was whether Spokane is a diversity backwater or a community which is nurturing the obvious need for and benefits of diversity.

While the proponents of Initiative 200 will look you in the eye and state that theirs is the only fair approach, I see no merit in their argument for two primary reasons.

First, one can show empirically that important diversity efforts, critical to our society pulling together rather than pulling apart, are being wrecked in California because of Initiative 209. I hope California will wake up and repeal or grossly modify that law before it does any more damage.

Second, contrary to what Initiative 200 proponents say, there are very few situations in which persons in the majority have failed to procure a job, promotion or opportunity because of affirmative action. That is not the outcome of affirmative action. Doors don’t slam shut on those in the majority. I think voters will recognize the proponents’ premise for what it is: a bogus scare tactic.

By allowing and encouraging businesses to continue to use this tool without fear of becoming lawbreakers, we maintain a vital engine to foster diversity and thus the next level of economic growth. It really boils down to common sense.

Finally, permit me to ask the question: Does anyone believe our children and grandchildren (not to mention our country) will benefit by retreating from efforts to diversify, cut down fences and dissolve the boundaries that ethnic and racial minorities have found to be exclusionary and unfair?