BEYOND QUOTAS
A point often missed in articles of this type is that affirmative-action and civil-rights laws do not protect just African-Americans--they’re just the most vigorous supporters. The trick the right wing has pulled off is convincing white men over 55 and non-minority women that bills like the Civil Rights and Women’s Equity in Employment Act have nothing to do with them but are simply “black” bills. The trick they have yet to pull off--though I don’t put it past them--is drawing up civil-rights bills that protect all but African-Americans.
GERALD HORNE
PROFESSOR AND CHAIR,
DEPARTMENT OF BLACK STUDIES
UC SANTA BARBARA
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