Resolution to Support
the National Summit of the New Civil Rights Movement to
Defend Integration and Affirmative Action to be held at the University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor, January 12-16, 2001
Whereas, a National Summit of the New Civil Rights Movement to Defend Affirmative Action and Integration will take place at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, campus from January 12 to January 16, 2001.
Events will include:
January 12—mass
meeting, rally and march of high school students from the region and around
the country
January 13-14—guest speakers and mass meetings
January 15—Martin Luther King, Jr. day National Civil Rights March to Defend
Integration and Affirmative Action
January 16—mass mobilization to the trial of the U of M Law School
Whereas,
the trial against the U of M Law School is scheduled to begin on January 16,
2001. This case, along with the
case against U of M’s undergraduate school, is likely to reach the Supreme
Court and determine the future of affirmative action programs for the entire
country.
Whereas,
affirmative action is essential to achieving integration in higher education.
Affirmative action is essential to continuing to break down the
barriers of racism and sexism in education and in the workplace.
Affirmative action has led to greatly expanded opportunities for poor
and working class students of all races.
The cases against U of M threaten every social program destined to
offset the inequalities present in society.
These cases are our generation’s version of Brown vs. Board of
Education.
Whereas,
student organizers have been leading the movement to defend affirmative action
in Michigan, California, Florida, Texas, Washington state, and many other
places around the country. These
efforts must be expanded and better coordinated in order to win.
Therefore
be it resolved, the Michigan Student Assembly endorses the National Summit
on the New Civil Rights Movement to be held at the University of Michigan in
Ann Arbor from January 12-16. MSA
encourages students at U of M (Ann Arbor), students on other campuses around
the country, and high school students to attend the Summit.
Therefore be it resolved, MSA will send information about the National Summit to all public universities in Michigan, to universities across the country that have faced attacks on their affirmative action programs, to major universities in states that have faced attacks on affirmative action, to other major universities in the US, and to high schools in the Ann Arbor and Detroit areas.
Introduced on November 19, 2000
Sponsors:
Jessica Curtin and Erika Dowdell
Adopted unanimously on November 28, 2000