Kucinich on racial discrimination and affirmative action
From the issues page on Racial Discrimination / Affirmative Action at the official campaign website
(Statement issued by Rep. Kucinich and Rep. Barbara Lee, co-chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, 4/1/03)
Affirmative action is necessary, affirmative action is right, and affirmative action must be preserved.
For the first time since Brown v. Board of Education, which opened up educational opportunities for millions of Americans, our public schools are becoming increasingly segregated by race.
In our cities, indices of black-white segregation suggest extreme separation of minorities far beyond the levels reported in other multi-racial societies such as Brazil, Canada, Australia, and the UK. In fact, the only other nation where minority segregation indices routinely exceed those reported in the United States was the Union of South Africa
under apartheid.
Segregation in our cities leads to dire consequences in the educational environment for minorities. High minority school districts receive far less in state and local educational funding than districts that have predominantly white students.
America's diversity is strength, not a weakness, and it is absolutely critical that we nurture programs that enhance opportunities for those who have been historically left behind. To do nothing, to abolish affirmative action, is to use de jure means to fall back into the de facto segregation of the past, which made a mockery of democracy, equality, liberty and justice - the very values on which this nation was founded.
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