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For the first time ever, a historical recall vote is set in stone and scheduled to take.
place on Oct. 7, to determine whether or Governor Davis is to remain in office. With all .
the media hoopla the recall election has received, the fate of Gray Davis isn't the only .
issue voters will be voting on. Two initiatives will also appear on the ballots: .
Proposition 53- an amendment sponsored by the legislature that will dedicate part of .
the state budget to infrastructure and Proposition 54- a measure to ban government .
agencies from collecting racial data. .
Out of the two initiatives, Proposition 54 is both popular and highly controversial .
amongst interest and civil rights groups such as; The American Civil Liberties Union .
(ACLU), The African American Voter Registration, Education and Participation .
Project (AAVREPP) and The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
(MALDEF) to name a few. .
Proposition 54's founder and chairman is none other than Ward Connerly, the chairman .
and founder of the American Civil Rights Group.
Connerly, was elected a position on the Board of Regents of the University of California .
and was also chosen to lead the "Anti Affirmative Action Initiative," known to voters as .
Proposition 209, by former Governor Pete Wilson. It passed with a "vote of 54 .
percent to 45 percent," according to an article entitled, "High Court Allows Prop .
209's Repeal of Affirmative Action," by David G. Savage of The Los Angeles Times. .
Although, on May 17, 2001, Contra Costa Times reporter Carrie Sturrock reported that .
"the University of California Regents unanimously repealed their 1995 ban on racial .
preferences," in an article entitled, "UC Repeal Ban On Racial Preferences," in response .
to the public outcry it received from students and teachers all over California. .
Connerly is at it again and this time he is hoping to proclaim victory and remain .
