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Beyond Anti-Affirmative Action Bake Sales

Reader Rick Palmer sends an interesting suggestion for how those opposed to racial preferences on college campuses can move beyond bake sales to highlight their opposition:

I have read about bake sales on various campuses, where the prices are determined by the customer?s race or ethnicity. I do not believe this is an effective strategy to garner support for the elimination of these policies. The message is unclear, and the analogy is not apparent.

If I may, I would like to offer a suggestion that I believe would be provocative, educational, humorous, and even create some converts to the cause. I also believe it might generate some positive media interest.

Conservative groups should circulate petitions to save affirmative action on campus. The petition would specify that all those who sign are willing to give up their coveted enrollment at the campus to allow an under-represented minority to take his or her place. For those who sign who themselves are members of an under-represented minority group, then a hierarchy of desired groups (determined by the university) determines who gets their spot, or the signor could even choose from a list. In addition to different ethnicities, the list could include such groups as military veterans, evangelical Christians, etc.

A Save Affirmative Action! petition would highlight the injustice of the system, since every recipient of racial preferences takes another, more qualified student?s slot. This would highlight the hypocrisy of the the supporters, since an innocent, unseen high schooler always pays the price of their support of these policies....

A similar list could be circulated for faculty hiring and tenure.

It?s one thing to talk the talk of affirmative action, but quite another to take a walk (out of school) for it.

Full post as published by Discriminations on March 17, 2011 (boomark / email).