Lynch on Civil Rights Initiative

Frederick R. Lynch’s column (“The Civil Rights Initiative Is in Danger of Sinking,” Commentary, Dec. 19) is another example of the hate-based right-wing political philosophy being foisted on Americans by the Republican Party. This latest cry of anguish is based on the absurd notion that white males are an oppressed group because a few seats in a university or several job openings in a company are dedicated to minorities. Look around, Mr. Lynch, America is owned by white males. The government, the military and the Fortune 500 are run by white males. The great majority of the homes, factories and office buildings are owned and will be inherited by white males. I’d say we white males have a pretty good lock on America and can afford to give some paltry affirmative action programs a chance.

These are tough times and the Republicans want to whip up the divisions between Americans so we will judge each other by race, nationality and religion instead of who we are as human beings. We will go back to the Republican “good old days” before civil rights and affirmative action. Unfortunately, Californians have a propensity for passing unconstitutional initiatives such as Proposition 187 and the repeal of the Rumford Fair Housing Act, both reversed by the courts. Underlying all these distorted philosophies is plain and simple racism.

We have worked so hard to share the classroom, workplace and neighborhood with people of all colors and nationalities and religions that we must keep a vigil against those would divide us. There is enough America to go around for all of us if we work hard and sacrifice to create a booming economy bursting with jobs and educational opportunity. We must not be divided, especially in times such as these.

ELIA RICHARD MORRIS

Canoga Park

* Why is it that ideologues, unable to fathom committed, informed opposition to their causes, resort to conspiracy theories led by a ubiquitous media elite and soldiered by every politician, bureaucrat and academic who ever raised a hand against them in dissent?

Lynch’s desperate commentary is patronizing and paranoid. It is not the “diversity industry” which may prevent the so-called “California civil rights initiative” from reaching the November 1996 ballot; Californians themselves posses the ability to judge this referendum on its merits. If a “huge majority of citizens” is truly fed up with the affirmative action status quo, then Lynch’s “conspirators” will do no better preventing this initiative than they did stopping Proposition 187.

Perhaps a better reason for this initiative’s slow-moving petition drive is that enough ungrudging, thoughtful Californians, uncomfortable with the punitive message sent by 187, are wary of turning this once-golden state into a 21st century Mississippi.

MATTHEW G. WRIGHT

Altadena