Sonny's Corner: "The Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative: A 'Teachable' Moment"

"Sonny's Corner" is a regular column in Prairie Fire, featuring commentary on civil rights and justice issues. Our friend and Omaha colleague, Joseph P. "Sonny" Foster, died suddenly at age 54 in August 2005. He left an uncompleted agenda, as did many of our civil rights and justice mentors and heroes. We shall attempt to move forward on that unfinished agenda through this column.

By Linda M. Kalbach

“So what petition is going around town?” the express line clerk asked.

It was a moment a former social studies teacher could not ignore, a young person asking political questions, even as he rang up groceries.

“Hmm, I am guessing it is the one designed to eliminate affirmative action in the state of Nebraska,” I replied.

“Oh,” said the curious checker. “So, can you give me a quick lesson on affirmative action?”

Well, what can one say on that topic in the time it takes to ring up the “no more than 12 items” I had in my grocery cart? Could I conjure up a quick synthesis on one of the most controversial topics of the day?

“It is a policy established several decades ago to try and right a playing field made unfair by 300 years of slavery and other forms of marginalization. Its intent is to raise the opportunity level for traditionally marginalized groups as it relates to areas such as government jobs, pubic-works contracts, access to higher education and the like.” Yep, I thought, that was a good summary—just the facts.

“Oh, sure, that sounds familiar—thanks,” said the young man, handing me my groceries. His eyes were still full of inquiry.

“That is a gross simplification, of course, but you can read more about it,” I said, smiling.

Walking away heightened my need to say more. I wanted to commend him for his curiosity even while managing a cash register and a long line of impatient shoppers. But he wanted, and I needed, more time for our exchange, as there was much left to say.

Most importantly, I wanted to warn him about that guy from California who had just bought a pack of Marlboros. The clerk had asked for an ID, and it was this man’s presence in Nebraska that had sparked our conversation. You see, he was “a petitioner…”

I wanted to ask the clerk, “So, what do you make of a guy from California working in Lincoln on a petition supposedly dealing with Nebraska?” This came from the man’s answer to the checker’s question about why someone from California was so far away from home.

“What brings you to Nebraska?” was the checker’s exact question.

“Work,” the man said. Then he added, “You know, the petition.”

But the checker did not know.

How many other Nebraskans do not know that, once again, a California-based political drive is being passed off as a Nebraska thing, this one the brainchild of businessman Ward Connerly, who ultimately believes he has the right to enter into other states and foment his political intentions using their political process. Just how many “petitioners” has he imported into Nebraska through his American Civil Rights Institute? What is to be made of that catchy title and, best question of all, who in fact is bankrolling this whole affair, playing out not only in Nebraska but also Arizona, Missouri, Colorado and Oklahoma?

The Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative (NCRI) is a bad idea being misrepresented through a barrage of propaganda. Despite the twist on its title, NCRI has nothing to do with civil rights except to the extent that its backers want to reverse hard-won gains in this area. That is something the country and Nebraska cannot afford. It will sabotage progress toward ensuring equal opportunities for all people, regardless of the errors of the past. It will devastate our ability to benefit from the talents and skills that all people can contribute when given the opportunity to do so.

Ultimately, the NCRI petition drive will jeopardize our ability to embrace the realities of the 21st century, which include a tightly interwoven world and a diverse humanity. If other states want to retreat into a bigoted, selectively privileged past, that is their business. But, Nebraskans, please do not let them corrupt our petition process with an agenda whose authors and financiers do not live in this state, do not pay its taxes and do not raise its children. They are a threat to our state’s future and its quality of life.
 

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