Bob Hoff calls opposition of proposition 16

Los Angeles, CA (July  16, 2020) – Former California senator Bob Hoff released statement on opposition against prop 16 in city of Industry.

PROP 209 WORKS!

 

Don’t roll back the clock to the failed policies of yesterday. We got it right when we passed civil rights laws in the 1960’s to prohibit discrimination and we got it right with Proposition 209 a generation later, that strengthens anti-discrimination policies here in California.

 

The text of Prop 209 was called the California Civil Rights Initiative because it restated the historic Civil Rights Act by stating clearly:

 

“THE STATE SHALL NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST, OR GRANT PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT TO, ANY INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP ON THE BASIS OF RACE, SEX, COLOR, ETHNICITY, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN IN THE OPERATION OF PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT, PUBLIC EDUCATION, OR PUBLIC CONTRACTING.”

 

The proponents want to remove this language, and by doing so, reintroduce racial discrimination. They are blaming much of society’s problems on Prop 209, but this simply is not true.

 

Yes, we are in an era of social unrest, but if we vote to remove the simple, fair-to-all language of Prop 209, we are voting to increase discrimination, increase racial stereotypes and continue, not reduce, societies inequities.

 

PROP 209 IS WORKING

 

According to data from the University of California, in 1999, shortly after Proposition 209 was passed, there were 4,527 African-Americans enrolled system wide; in 2019, the number had grown to 9,317. Hispanics saw even better results, and went from 16,967 in 1999 to 55,971 in 2019, a huge increase. The saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” applies to Prop 209.

 

HELP ONLY THOSE WHO NEED HELP

 

The UC system and other public institutions have adopted creative ways to help the economically disadvantaged, without resorting to race being a factor. If we are going to create a color-blind society, if we are going to break the cycle of poverty, which knows no racial boundary, this is where the focus should be. Additionally, we need to shake up our K-12 education to focus on outcomes, not just how much money is spent on our schools. If students are better prepared in our K-12 system for the challenges of college, there will be a higher high-school graduation rate, higher college acceptance, enrollment, and graduation rates.

 

There are effective ways to achieve the more equal society we all wish—provide every child with the tools to compete without special preferences. Then let them succeed on a fair, color-blind, race-blind, gender-blind basis.

 

Let’s not return to the myth that “minorities” and women cannot compete without special preferences. Let’s stay the course of equal opportunity, individual achievement and zero tolerance for discrimination against—or for—any individual.

 

Vote for fairness, not favoritism.

 

On Tuesday, November 3, Vote NO on Proposition 16.