Dayton Daily News editorial on Racial data helps spot, fix problems:
Ward Connerly, a University of California regent, who successfully sold a measure to ban affirmative action in college admissions, employment and contracting, is behind Proposition 54, sometimes known as the Racial Privacy Initiative. It would ban collection of most data relating to race, ethnicity, color or national origin by government entities. Mr. Connerly, who’s black, calls the proposal a step toward a “colorblind society.”
His pitch appeals to an instinct in almost everyone who wishes race weren’t such a divisive, sensitive, difficult consideration in society. But the proposition won’t fix any specific complaint, and it would create new problems.
This editorial needs to be answered in force. We particularly need to stress the unscientific nature of this data collection and it may not be a bad idea to mention past abuses of such data, since the Dayton Daily News feels that possession of such data is non-threatening and necessary.
Letters can be sent here.