January 16, 2003
"President Bush told the American public in December that Senator Lott’s recent racist comments were ‘offensive’ and ‘wrong,’" said Lee. "Yet barely a month later, President Bush is rolling back the clock by extending the de facto segregation system that people of color experience in this country."
"In every area of life, African-Americans and people of color face economic, educational, and social obstacles. There is no ‘level-playing field.’ That fact is made clear in the area of education, the subject of the Supreme Court cases. According to a Journal of Social Issues article, African-Americans attend college at half the proportion of whites. Without affirmative action, the percentage of African-American students on many campuses would drop below 2%."
"The situation is even worse for Hispanic-Americans. Less than 10 percent of Hispanic-Americans go on to higher education each year, and of those Hispanic-Americans between the ages of 25-29, only 16 percent have bachelor’s degrees."
"I am extremely disappointed and saddened to see that President Bush has decided to push for the elimination of fundamental rights that so many Americans fought for with great personal costs for decades and centuries. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose birthday was on the very day that the President announced his decision, would be disheartened by the President’s policy."
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Congresswoman Barbara Lee Criticizes President Bush’s Decision to Challenge Affirmative Action Policies
Washington, DC -- Congresswoman Barbara Lee today called President Bush’s decision to oppose Affirmative Action policies in cases pending before the Supreme Court an historic setback for African-Americans and all people of color."President Bush told the American public in December that Senator Lott’s recent racist comments were ‘offensive’ and ‘wrong,’" said Lee. "Yet barely a month later, President Bush is rolling back the clock by extending the de facto segregation system that people of color experience in this country."
"In every area of life, African-Americans and people of color face economic, educational, and social obstacles. There is no ‘level-playing field.’ That fact is made clear in the area of education, the subject of the Supreme Court cases. According to a Journal of Social Issues article, African-Americans attend college at half the proportion of whites. Without affirmative action, the percentage of African-American students on many campuses would drop below 2%."
"The situation is even worse for Hispanic-Americans. Less than 10 percent of Hispanic-Americans go on to higher education each year, and of those Hispanic-Americans between the ages of 25-29, only 16 percent have bachelor’s degrees."
"I am extremely disappointed and saddened to see that President Bush has decided to push for the elimination of fundamental rights that so many Americans fought for with great personal costs for decades and centuries. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose birthday was on the very day that the President announced his decision, would be disheartened by the President’s policy."
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