Jewish World Review July 30, 2003 /1 Menachem-Av, 5763

Terry Eastland

Eastland
JWR's Pundits
World Editorial
Cartoon Showcase

Mallard Fillmore

Michael Barone
Mona Charen
Linda Chavez
Ann Coulter
Greg Crosby
Larry Elder
Don Feder
Suzanne Fields
James Glassman
Paul Greenberg
Bob Greene
Betsy Hart
Nat Hentoff
David Horowitz
Marianne Jennings
Michael Kelly
Mort Kondracke
Ch. Krauthammer
Lawrence Kudlow
Dr. Laura
John Leo
Michelle Malkin
Jackie Mason
Chris Matthews
Michael Medved
MUGGER
Kathleen Parker
Wes Pruden
Sam Schulman
Amity Shlaes
Roger Simon
Tony Snow
Thomas Sowell
Cal Thomas
Jonathan S. Tobin
Ben Wattenberg
George Will
Bruce Williams
Walter Williams
Mort Zuckerman

Consumer Reports


Congressman, please consult Miss Manners


http://www.NewsAndOpinion.com | At first glance, you might think, as I did, that the letter from Rep. John Dingell of Michigan to a fellow American - a law-abiding American - wasn't his but a parody. Surely, someone who fancies himself a satirist wrote the letter.

After all, would Mr. Dingell (or any member of Congress) actually write a letter commanding the recipient, who lives in another state, to "go home and stay there, you're not welcome here"? Surely, someone jests! But, no, the letter happens not to be a parody. Mr. Dingell wrote it, or he at least signed it. You can look it up at house.gov/dingell.

What, or rather who, has driven Mr. Dingell to prepare, publish and mail such a stupid letter? Ward Connerly of California. In 1996, Mr. Connerly led the successful campaign to outlaw racial preferences in his state. That campaign used the initiative process available under the California Constitution by which voters can make law themselves by approving a ballot proposition. Mr. Connerly then went up the coast to Washington and used its initiative process to invite the people of that state to forbid preferences. And so they did.

Now, Mr. Connerly has seen that Michigan, too, has an initiative process, and, as Mr. Dingell has noticed, he has stepped foot inside the state and is helping to organize an effort to put before Michigan voters in 2004 an initiative similar to those approved in California and Washington - one that would outlaw preferences in public education, employment and contracting. Mr. Connerly is persuaded that the issue of preferences is especially salient in the state, the Supreme Court just last month having approved their use by a 5-to-4 decision in the Michigan law school admissions case.

Mr. Dingell supports that decision and preferences generally. Given that, you would think that if he were at all to engage Mr. Connerly, he might have explained why he thinks a "Michigan Civil Rights Initiative" is a bad idea.

Donate to JWR

But Mr. Dingell wasn't going to engage in a civil conversation. People who say state-sponsored racial classifications are an issue worthy of public debate are trying to open what the congressman arrogantly regards as a closed question. Such people are - Mr. Dingell's words to Mr. Connerly - "stirring up trouble where none exists."

And Mr. Connerly is especially to be condemned because he isn't from Michigan. "We have no need," Mr. Dingell says to Mr. Connerly, "for itinerant publicity seekers, nonresident troublemakers or self-aggrandizing out-of-state agitators." One is tempted to say no defender of segregation ever quite packed so much on the theme of outside agitators into a single sentence.

Mr. Dingell's message to Mr. Connerly - stay out of Michigan, your views aren't welcome here - is sharply at odds with the best understanding of American liberty. We Americans have the right to travel freely, to express our views and to participate (save for running for office and voting) in the affairs of any state or community. Which means that Ward Connerly can go to Michigan and campaign for an initiative outlawing preferences. It also means that Jesse Jackson (another nonresident) can go to Michigan and campaign against it.

In his letter, Mr. Dingell's arrogance leads him to speak in behalf of the people of his state. "The people of Michigan have a simple message to you: go home." And: "Michiganders do not take kindly to your ignorant meddling in our affairs." But Michiganders may see matters differently. Recent surveys show majorities opposed to race-based admissions. Maybe they would vote against the state's using race to allocate scarce opportunities if they had the chance.

It is hard to see what Mr. Dingell thought he could accomplish by writing the kind of letter he did. Far from "staying home," Mr. Connerly seems only more dedicated to pressing his case in Michigan. "Thank you for such a warm and hospitable welcome to Michigan," he began his reply to Mr. Dingell. It will take roughly 320,000 signatures for the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative to appear on next year's ballot.

Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in Washington and in the media consider "must reading." Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.




JWR contributor Terry Eastland is is publisher of The Weekly Standard.Comment by clicking here.

07/23/03:Words reveal much about Bush: Maybe there is a reason he won't retract sentence
07/08/03: Justices also said affirmative action must end
06/25/03: Court's law school ruling isn't persuasive
06/24/03: Whatever the Lynch story, everyone wants it
06/18/03: A judge shows he can set aside his strong views
06/04/03: Boston church becomes politically important again
05/28/03: YWCA names culture warrior as its new head
05/23/03: Washington steps in to help teach history
05/13/03: It may take another election to change filibuster rules
05/07/03: Paige works to improve education from inside out
04/30/03: Iraqis have choice to make regarding religious freedom
04/16/03: Is it acceptable for an education secretary to state a personal preference for religious schooling?
04/08/03: University officials must put academics ahead of athletics
04/02/03: Support for our soldiers means support for their orders
03/27/03: 'Free Iraqi Forces' underscore Bush's sincerity
03/18/03: Dems misunderstand judge's job
03/13/03: Justices show right restraint in ruling on anti-crime measures
03/05/03: America's imperial intentions
02/25/03: The weakness of Dems' stated reason for their filibuster makes you wonder whether it is the real reason
02/19/03: Administration fine-tunes religious rights in public education
02/12/03: France and Germany need to be reminded of the necessity of a strong, even predominant America
02/06/03: Judiciary's 'balance' -- or lack of it -- is our doing
01/29/03: The child who almost wasn't
01/21/03: President decides to punt on affirmative action case
01/14/03: Bush's faith has influenced his conduct in public office
01/07/03: Dems need ideas, not more microphones
12/17/02: Gray Lady should learn that times have changed
12/10/02: Will High Court be guilty of activism?
12/03/02: The missing facts in news accounts of Saudi Princess Haifa's putative 'charity'
11/26/02: Americans don't have to be worried about Big Brother
11/19/02: Texas' reputation for flamboyance may be revised
11/11/02: Bush now can repair confirmation system
11/05/02: Dems shouldn't believe too strongly in history
10/30/02: Snipers had lots of motives
10/23/02: No one should be shut out of marketplace of ideas
10/15/02: Open hearings that could imperil the nation
10/08/02: Debating the clear and present danger
10/01/02: A great awakening in China?
09/25/02: Abortion, again? The settled but still unsettling law of Roe v. Wade
09/18/02: A relevant presidency--and irrelevant U.N?
09/10/02: Ashcroft's obtuse judicial statement
09/04/02: The Education Gadfly stings again
08/28/02: So then let the president declare war
08/21/02: Will Bush finally 'fix' affirmative action once and for all?
08/06/02: President must take up cause of Egyptian democracy warrior
07/31/02: With each war, civil liberties are curtailed less

© 2002, Terry Eastland