This one is a bit of a shock, considering there are all of about 1/2 dozen black folks in Utah. It, however is not a shock considering the deeply embedded racism of the Republican Party.
Why are Utah Republicans racist?
Because this is a Constitutional Amendment without a cause. There are few, if any, minority owned businesses in Utah based on the fact the population of 2.7 million includes only 35,000 “black” people – most of whom are probably African who came to Utah as part of the Mormon Church Missionary programs in Africa. Ergo – there is nobody to apply for Affirmative Action – even if existing state rules and regulations didn’t prohibit it.
There doesn’t appear to be a single case of AA being implemented in the State.
Quite honestly, surrounded by racist conservative Republicans – black kids want to go to Utah to school, about as much as they enjoy volunteering for a root canal. And even though the Mormon Church has become civilized in eliminating the old racist liturgy, many black folks still view them (sometimes unfairly) with suspicion.
Personally, I think if Utah’s racist Republican legislators do pass this, then President Obama should cut ALL Federal funding for projects in Utah, and shut down operations of the major Federal data center operations in the state.
Let these racist POSs stew in their Lilly whiteness.
The New Utah Jim Crow is Just Like the Old Jim Crow
Affirmative action ban advances in Utah House
SALT LAKE CITY — Lawmakers moved quickly Friday to place a ban on affirmative action in the Utah Constitution, despite little evidence the practice is being used or has caused problems.
A resolution that would prevent local governments, state agencies and public colleges from discriminating or providing preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin sailed through a legislative committee only two days after it was made public.
To amend the constitution, the resolution would have to be approved by a two-thirds vote in the state House and Senate and be signed by Republican Gov. Gary Herbert. Voters also would have to approve the measure this fall.
The proposal is likely to have little trouble getting the necessary votes for passage in the GOP-dominated Legislature.
A House committee approved the measure known as House Joint Resolution 24 with a 10-4 vote Friday. The full House will likely vote on it next week.
Opponents said there was little time to seek public input about the proposal by Rep. Curt Oda, R-Clearfield.
“To pull this bill out two days ago, and ram it down the throats of this community, is awful,” said Rep. Jackie Biskupski, D-Salt Lake City. “This is big, and it deserves public input.”
Jeanetta Williams, president of the NAACP Salt Lake Branch, said she wasn’t made aware of the proposal until Thursday night.
“He’s trying to kind of do it in a backdoor approach, which I find very offensive,” Williams said.
Democrats tried unsuccessfully to delay the measure by suggesting it undergo study during the summer.
Republicans said they want to pass the measure while Ward Connerly, a former member of the University of California Board of Regents who has worked to pass similar legislation in other states, was in town to testify for the bill.
“The implication is that those of us who are … minorities cannot compete and therefore society has to bestow its benevolence,” Connerly, who is black, told lawmakers. “Sometimes we don’t realize that’s a double-edge sword. We demean people.”
Connerly was joined by Jennifer Gratz, who successfully sued the University of Michigan for denying her admission, saying she was put at a disadvantage because she wasn’t a minority.
Senate President Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, said the measure will help ensure Utah colleges don’t discriminate.
“We’re not getting necessarily the most qualified students there because of the quota system,” Waddoups said.
Kay Harward, University of Utah senior associate vice president for enrollment management, said minorities don’t get any preferential treatment when it comes to admission.
State agencies also have policies in place that prevent them from giving preferential treatment when it comes to hiring or promotions.
The University of Utah accepts 94% of it’s applicants. requiring a minimum combined SAT of 860 out of a possible 1600. There are Community Colleges in this country with higher acceptance standards. There are less than 300 black kids (many of whom are likely on Sports related scholarships) on a campus of 30,000. A school accepting 94% of the people who apply, who can only get 54% of the questions on the SATs…
Isn’t exactly turning away potential Fullbright Scholars. And I don’t mean to knock Utah, because it is a decent school. But it is a State School, which is designed to be as inclusive as possible to educate the State’s population – so the low SAT entry level is more indicative of the low level of product of the secondary schools in Utah, than the University’s quality…
But the only “quota system” in existence there…
Is the racism of the Republicans.
Come on down and get your Uncle Tom of the Decade Award, Ward Connerly –
Uncle Tom of the Decade Awardee - Ward Connerly
Btx3's Blog 
skretvedt1958
February 14, 2018 at 9:07 AM
Will Rogers was a Democrat and spoke at the 1932 Democratic Convention.
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