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Via Workers World News Service
Reprinted from the Nov. 14, 1996
issue of Workers World newspaper
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Prop 209 wins but struggle continues

By Richard Becker in San Francisco

Troposition 209, the deliberately misnamed "California Civil Rights Initiative," passed by a vote of 54 percent to 46 percent. Under the pretense of outlawing discrimination based on race, nationality or sex, Proposition 209 would end all California state-government-related affirmative action programs. This includes programs to help African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans and women get jobs, education- including university and college admissions-and government contracts.

Despite the misleading language of the initiative and strong backing from Gov. Pete Wilson, Bob Dole, and other right-wing elements, Proposition 209's support was significantly reduced in the closing weeks of the campaign. This was mainly due to strong grassroots actions, particularly in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Earlier polls had shown support for 209 across the state. But on election day, San Francisco voted no by a margin of 70 percent to 30 percent. All six Bay Area counties and Los Angeles County voted 209 down. However, it passed strongly in rural counties and in San Diego and Orange Counties.

The proposition was scheduled to take effect at 12:01 the day after the election. There was an immediate court challenge, and students at UC Santa Cruz and Berkeley held militant protests.

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