EDITORIAL : FORWARD MOVEMENT; NATION DESERVES TO HEAR A VIGOROUS DEBATE ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION.PRESIDENT Clinton's promise to resubmit Verb 1. resubmit - submit (information) again to a program or automatic system feed back return, render - give back; "render money" Bill Lann Lee's name for Senate confirmation to the nation's top civil rights post is the right move. The nation deserves to hear a full and open debate on affirmative action affirmative action, in the United States, programs to overcome the effects of past societal discrimination by allocating jobs and resources to members of specific groups, such as minorities and women. . And that's what Lee's nomination has been about from the beginning. Lee, the son of Chinese immigrants and the former director of the NAACP NAACP in full National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Oldest and largest U.S. civil rights organization. It was founded in 1909 to secure political, educational, social, and economic equality for African Americans; W.E.B. Du Bois and Ida B. Legal Defense and Education Fund in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , should relish such a debate. His supporters, including Mayor Richard Riordan Richard J. Riordan (born May 1, 1930) is a Republican politician from California, U.S. who served as the California Secretary of Education from 2003–2005 and as Mayor of Los Angeles from 1993–2001. Riordan ran for Governor of California unsuccessfully in 2002. , argue that Lee is a fair and pragmatic man who will follow the law in enforcing civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, religion, gender, national origin, disability, age and other factors. The president assures the nation that Lee's views on affirmative action ``are my views on affirmative action. No quotas. No discrimination. No position or benefit for any unqualified person.'' This is a most important and touchy issue. What better avenue than a national debate on affirmative action and the best ways to ensure all Americans have equal opportunity to jobs, housing and education. Unfortunately, Republicans and Democrats have avoided this issue by waging politics instead of forging policy. The process needs to move forward. If Lee deserves the job, then he deserves to walk through the front doors of government, not be blocked by obstructionist ob·struc·tion·ist n. One who systematically blocks or interrupts a process, especially one who attempts to impede passage of legislation by the use of delaying tactics, such as a filibuster. Republicans or forced through the servant's quarters by the president. |
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