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Late Thoughts on Tuesday’s Election

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* During the past several months, the debate concerning affirmative action has intensified significantly. Both presidential candidates have taken positions on the issue, with President Clinton deciding that we should mend affirmative action, not end it.

Gov. Pete Wilson, on the other hand, has led the charge reversing the long-standing affirmative action policies employed in the University of California system.

In so doing, Wilson suggested that mentoring programs such as those offered by the organization 100 Black Men provide an alternative to the continuation of affirmative action programs.

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We, the 100 Black Men of Orange County, dispute Wilson’s claim that ours or any other volunteer program can offer suitable alternatives for government-sanctioned affirmative action policies and programs.

Dedicated private organizations can offer guidance and resources to assist, but it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that all citizens are afforded equal access to America’s vast opportunities.

Unfortunately, many institutions still have official and unofficial policies and practices which contribute significantly to maintaining an unlevel playing field for minorities and women. Our most prestigious universities routinely confer preferred admission status to applicants based on the applicant’s family ties. Since few blacks attended these institutions, the “legacy” preferences perpetuate white preferential treatment. Elimination of affirmative action programs would only exacerbate the imbalance.

Similarly, the overwhelming majority of management and executive positions are filled through an established “network” which most often excludes minorities and women from consideration.

While the implementation of affirmative action has sometimes been flawed, and has produced unintended consequences, these shortcomings do not justify the wholesale elimination of policies and programs targeted at assisting all Americans in becoming full participants in our society.

RON COLEY

President

100 Black Men of Orange County

Lake Forest

* Eddie Rose (Letters, Oct. 20) blasted The Times for favoring campaign reform Proposition 208 over Proposition 212. He claims support for 212 “over the entire spectrum” of political belief. It is possible that those on the extremes do favor this extreme measure, absolutely assured of being unworkable, since it calls for actions already judged unconstitutional by the courts. Those endorsing this proposition are either fools, voting for a beautiful but unworkable scheme, or knaves.

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WILFRED COUZIN

Laguna Niguel

* I have been waiting for weeks to receive my copy of the 112-page California Ballot Pamphlet. Just a few days from voting I still had not received it!

Two weeks ago, I called the Orange County registrar of voters office and was informed that the state was indeed late in mailing out the pamphlets, they had received many calls, and I was given an 800 number to call. Called the number, got a nice recording by the secretary of state, who suggested I leave my name and address on the recording and a pamphlet would be mailed to me. He must have received a lot of calls, because I could never leave a message, having continually gotten the recorded message that the “mailbox was full!”

I finally drove to the registrar’s office and picked up a copy. Are we left to only be guided by what we receive from the groups for and against the issues? That’s a scary thought.

ALAN SILCOCK

Newport Beach

* I am writing about Measure W, the Placentia Library District Parcel Tax. The Placentia Library District is independent of the county and the city of Placentia. There is no advantage to being a part of either entity, which has been offered by some as a possible solution.

The $29 parcel tax represents no more nor less than what has been lost through action of the state and the county. The Placentia Library is well-used, by approximately 900 people every day it is open. It is unthinkable that it will be available to the people even fewer hours if Measure W does not pass.

JEAN PAPPAS

Placentia

* A current television ad regarding one of the propositions has a lady admonishing her husband with, “Read the fine print, dear!”

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I suggest that your readers accept the same admonition when reviewing polls by Mark Baldassare, director of The Times Orange County Poll. [You say], “The sample is statistically weighted to reflect the political party, demographic and geographic distribution of Orange County voters.” We call that massaging the data, and that is frowned upon by responsible researchers.

TOM STEPHENSON

San Juan Capistrano

* How strange and incongruous that while our country has sent men and women of its armed forces to Bosnia to ensure free and fair elections there, so many of our citizens choose not to vote in our own elections.

A March 1996 poll conducted for the League of Women Voters found widespread anger and disconnectedness, but three factors differentiated those who stayed involved in the elective process from those who gave up: the extent to which people are encouraged to participate in the process either by organized groups or by family and friends, the extent to which they feel an election matters, and the availability of information about candidates, issues and the voting process.

Now it’s time to simply say no matter who you are, no matter where you live, this election will affect you and the things you care about: your job, your taxes, your children’s education. Vote on Nov. 5.

MARGE ENGLAND

President

League of Women Voters

Central Orange County

Garden Grove

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