> Published Wednesday, May 10, 2000, in the Miami Herald
>
> Affirmative action foe is target of library protest
>
> [Beneath this article: "Boynton bookstore owner gets flak for hosting
> anti-affirmative action leader "]
>
> BY BRAD BENNETT
> bbennett at herald.com
>
> As a 14-year-old boy growing up in Sacramento, Calif., Ward Connerly
> proudly refused one day to
> accept any more of his grandmother's welfare checks.
>
> Instead, he took a job as a stock boy for $80 a month, $20 more than his
> family received on welfare.
>
> Connerly, now the nation's leading affirmative-action foe, told that story
> Tuesday night while
> promoting his new book, Creating Equal: My Fight Against Race Preferences,
> at the Broward Main
> Library in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
>
> ``I don't want to ever believe that my fate is contingent on what somebody
> else will do for me,'' Connerly told a predominantly black crowd of about
> 90 people on the library's sixth floor.
>
> Connerly, who believes welfare is a close cousin of affirmative action, now
> owns a consulting business in California. His book-signing visit to Fort
> Lauderdale came one day after he announced he would drop his ballot drive
> against affirmative action in Florida, citing delays in the Florida Supreme
> Court's decision on whether to place his initiative on the November ballot.
>
> A group of about 25 protesters outside the library challenged Connerly's
> view, saying it does not help
> the masses of economically struggling black people in Florida.
>
> Carrying signs that said, ``No to Ward Connerly,'' ``Keep Affirmative
> Action'' and ``Go Home, Ward
> Connerly,'' protesters marched around the library to make their point.
>
> ``We're out here to support affirmative action,'' said Jackie Moody,
> organizer of the protest and chairperson of the Fort Lauderdale NAACP's
> direct action committee.
>
> Moody said Connerly's announcement to halt his ballot drive did not deter
> the protest.
>
> ``We just want to let people know what's going on,'' Moody said. ``I feel
> like Ward Connerly will come
> back.''
>
> Connerly had been seeking to put a referendum calling for a constitutional
> amendment on the statewide ballot in November to ban race and gender
> preferences.
>
> After leading successful campaigns to ban preferences in Washington state
> and California, Connerly forced Florida to overhaul its affirmative action
> policies through Gov. Jeb Bush's One Florida Initiative.
>
> Connerly has criticized the One Florida plan as not going far enough,
> comparing it to a ``39-cent hamburger'' and a ``lame alternative'' for
> banning race and gender preferences in state contracting and university
> admissions because it does not cover counties and cities.
>
> But, Connerly said, he ran out of time to put the measure before voters
> this year, and vowed to secure a spot on the November 2002 ballot.
>
> Bush's One Florida Initiative was launched in November 1999 to thwart
> Connerly's petition drive.
>
> Connerly's announcement, coming only days after the state Legislature
> approved part of Bush's One
> Florida plan, prompted critics to charge that Connerly is caving in to the
> governor.
>
> ``I just believe it's all one in the same plan,'' said Adora Obi Nweze,
> president of the Florida NAACP,during a telephone interview before
> Connerly's speech.
>
> ``Ward Connerly and One Florida are married to the hip. They're kissing
> cousins,'' said Nweze, who
> did not attend the speech. ``It's clear to me that the governor is
> carrying through on what [Connerly]
> halfway wanted, even if it's not all the way.''
>
> Connerly said he has been hamstrung by the Florida Supreme Court, which has
> yet to rule on whether his ballot language to amend the state constitution
> addresses only one issue and is not misleading.
>
> Connerly said the two-month lag makes gathering 435,000 voters' signatures
> by August a difficult prospect.
>
> ``We're not going to make it,'' Connerly said. ``It's impossible.''
>
> During a question-and-answer session people spoke for and against Connerly.
>
> ``I respect you, Mr. Connerly, because you stand for something,'' said
> Clinton Black, 32, of Fort Lauderdale. ``But I do not respect what you
> stand for.''
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Boynton bookstore owner gets flak for hosting anti-affirmative action leader
>
> By BRAD HAHN Sun-Sentinel
> Web-posted: 12:33 a.m. May 10, 2000
>
> Some question his motives, and others whisper about his allegiances, but
> Akbar Watson says he has nothing to hide.
>
> Owner of an African-American bookstore, Watson is under attack by some in
> his community.
>
> They question why he would provide a stage and microphone to someone who
> has made a career of fighting affirmative action, the effort to improve
> employment or educational opportunities for
> members of minority groups and women.
>
> Watson says the answer is simple: People deserve to hear from Ward Connerly.
>
> "We're bringing him to the 'hood,' if you will," said Watson, owner of
> Pyramid Books in Boynton Beach. "We're not endorsing Ward or opposing Ward.
> We're just bringing him to a place where grassroots
> people can dialogue."
>
> Connerly arrived in South Florida on Tuesday, one day after temporarily
> halting his push to dismantle Florida's affirmative action laws.
>
> In town for a book tour, Connerly spent Tuesday night in Fort Lauderdale,
> telling audience members that individuals, and not the government, must
> stop discrimination.
>
> At Watson's request, he will head north to Palm Beach County today, meeting
> with supporters for lunch and speaking tonight in Boynton Beach.
>
> The visit allows people to meet the man and not rely on characterizations
> from others, Watson says.
>
> But some take exception to the invitation.
>
> They ask why Watson would provide a forum to the person who successfully
> led campaigns to change affirmative actions laws in California and
> Washington. Why, they wonder, would Watson open the door to someone who has
> been dubbed a traitor to his race and a puppet for white affirmative action
> foes?
>
> "If you're bringing Ward Connerly in, you can't tell me you're trying to
> promote racial healing or people working together," said Mikel Jones, aide
> to U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar. "Ward Connerly
> is as divisive as you can get."
>
> About a half-dozen people have called Watson to voice their disgust. Others
> have talked among themselves, Watson hears, second-guessing the
> businessman's agenda.
>
> But Watson insists the visit is intended to promote unity.
>
> "We're actually trying to bring people together," he insists. "We're going
> to give the community an opportunity to decide what they want."
>
> Extra security will be on tap to protect the guest, in case debate becomes
> too animated.
>
> Though he is miffed by Watson's invitation, Jones said he might be in the
> audience to hear from the author of Creating Equal: My Fight Against Race
> Preferences.
>
> He encourages others to go as well -- so they know what they're fighting
> against.
>
> "I don't think that anybody other than those people who already buy his
> argument, that think like him and people like Clarence Thomas, are going to
> be persuaded by anything he has to say," Jones said.
>
> In the afternoon, Connerly is slated to have an informal lunch with 10
> supporters, each of whom will pay $100 for the privilege. Money from the
> meal at an undisclosed West Palm Beach restaurant will be
> used to donate the activist's book to Palm Beach County high schools.
>
> With a shelf price of $24.95, Connerly's book is described as half
> biography and half position statement.
>
> "Ward Connerly has become a controversial figure even though the basic idea
> he is promoting is not controversial," said Philip Blumel, editor of Voices
> of the Florida Taxpayer, a quarterly publication that is
> holding the lunch. "The basic idea is that all people are equal and should
> be treated equal under the law."
>
> That sounds good, Jones counters, but the reality is that society is not
> colorblind -- making affirmative action policies necessary.
>
> As for the book donation, School District spokesman Nat Harrington said
> staff members review donated books for appropriateness.
>
> Though there are no specific rules as to what can and cannot be placed on
> school library shelves, there are general guides to follow, he said.
>
> "They would look at it for age appropriateness, historical accuracy, and to
> assure we don't censor; we look at everything on a case-by-case basis,"
> said Harrington, adding he did not know if Connerly's writings could cause
> a problem.
>
> Watson is undeterred by the stir.
>
> Once Connerly leaves town, the bookstore owner expects to finalize plans to
> bring in another black Republican: presidential candidate Alan Keyes.
>
> Pyramid Books, he says, is committed to cutting-edge debate -- regardless
> of political affiliation.
>
> "We're setting the stage so people can come out and discuss with him," said
> Watson of the Connerly visit. "We want to give people an idea of the man
> and his whole motivation, and we want to give them
> a chance to debate."
>
> Brad Hahn can be reached at bhahn at sun-sentinel.com or 561-832-2905.