My View: State needs dialogue about discrimination

by Thomas Costello

Friday April 18, 2008
Saginaw News

The people of Michigan recognize that racial and ethnic discrimination is a reality in today's society, and probably will be for many years to come, according to a new survey conducted for the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion.

The question now before Michigan is how to overcome this reality, particularly in the wake of voters' decisions in 2006 to eliminate public affirmative action involving race and gender.

Our survey of 500 persons throughout the state, conducted by Mitchell Research in March, found that only 30 percent of white voters and 21 percent of African American voters said they believe that racial discrimination is rare or a thing of the past. More than half of African American voters said they believe discrimination happens "all of the time" or "frequently," as do 31 percent of white voters.

Asked when they thought we would achieve racial equality, only 14 percent of whites and 5 percent of African Americans said that "we have it now." Nearly a third -- 29 percent -- of both African Americans and whites said we will "never" achieve racial equality, and 18 percent of whites and 34 percent of African Americans said it will happen "in 100 years." (Complete survey results available at Miroundtable.com.)

The Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion does not accept that answer. That we might never achieve racial equality is unthinkable -- that it would take 100 years is equally intolerable.

The 2006 passage of Proposal 2 eliminated one of the tools that has worked most effectively in overcoming discrimination, affirmative action at the state and local government level.
Some now suggest that we simply should ignore race and gender discrimination in our society. They would have us believe that hard work and a good attitude is sufficient to overcome discrimination. Our poll shows this is nonsense.

Here at the Michigan Roundtable we believe that race -- and gender, and religion, and sexual preference, and disabilities -- do matter. And that the more we think and talk about these matters, recognize the ways that they affect our thinking and behavior, both consciously and unconsciously, and then take action, the better our chances of overcoming discrimination now -- not in 100 years.

In recent days the Michigan Roundtable has joined with Michigan United, the statewide educational group that was formed prior to the Proposal 2 campaign to educate people about affirmative action and discrimination. We held a statewide conference March 25 in Lansing, bringing together more than 400 people interested in expanding the dialogue about discrimination and how to overcome it in our state.

At that conference, we heard Michigan demographic expert Kurt Metzger describe how our state is becoming more diverse. That can be an asset, as business leaders know, because the flat-world economy we operate in puts a premium on a diverse work force. But it can become a detriment if we ignore the fact that discrimination is still an important part of the fabric of our state.

We now have begun an ambitious campaign to promote dialogue on race relations and other areas of social equity throughout the state -- one neighborhood at a time, one school at a time, one workplace at a time, one community at a time.

We believe, and our experience has shown, that structured, results-oriented dialogue works. If your community has not started that dialogue, it is time to start today.

If you need help or ideas, please contact the Michigan Roundtable at www.miround table.org. We can't wait 100 years to address the discrimination that Michigan citizens say is too often a part of life in our state.

Thomas Costello is president and chief executive officer of the Detroit-based Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion.