European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 08, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Guinier s Side Sells solid results on racial matters Clarence Page i Hen Virginia gov. Doug Wilder presidential Campaign convened it first focus group of undecided voter before new Hampshire s 1992 Pri Mary it ran into a Surprise. New Hampshire voters liked what they heard but not As it turned out what they saw. They liked what they heard about Wilder s fiscal conservatism his balancing his state s budget and his medal winning korean War combat exploits. But when a biographical video was played and they saw the candidate for the first time their mood noticeable changed from Joy to Chagrin. In one Eye brow raising outburst a surprised woman told the woman sitting next to her he s Black it was t that they were anti Black they said. Rather my neighbors probably would t like it or i Don t think new Hampshire will go for this episode which Campaign workers say was repeated almost verbatim in each of four focus groups the Campaign held in the nearly All White state came to mind when the supreme court recently ruled in a North Carolina Case that in some circumstances the constitutional rights of Whites can be violated by redistricting to create a Black majority District. The Issue has stunning implications in America s de Bate Over race. Of the 16 Blacks elected to Congress in 1992, for example 13 represent districts Pupos fully designed to have a majority of Black voters. Yet in a 5 to-4 majority the High court was appalled by the no Tion that creating Black majority districts May Balka Nize us into competing racial How absurd. America s political Arena was Balka sized Long before affirmative racial measures were put into place. Blacks know it. Whites such As those who work with Blacks like Doug Wilder know it. Why do so Many others including five Learned members of the supreme court not know it it has a lot to do with the Way we americans like to see ourselves during those moments when we can t stand the truth. It is called guilt avoidance. America is a state of denial about racism and racial issues said Lani Guinier whose nomination president Clinton made then withdrew to head the Justice department s civil rights division. Speaking in Houston at the convention of the National association of Black journalists one of Many organizations formed is respond to America s racial and ethnic Balkans nation Guinier recalled How americans including the Media allowed conserva Tives to tag her As a quota Queen and make her the misquoted i m glad she has t lost her sense of humor since the bad news she brings us once again is absolutely right. Most americans Don t pay much attention to Vot ing rights Law which made it easier for her political enemies to smear As Radical her thoroughly orthodox writings about cumulative voting super majorities and other reforms. But even some intelligent even handed and fair minded Media colleagues like the Washington Post s David Broder who read her actual words came away thinking her too Radical and outside the mainstream to be. A healthy addition to Clinton s team. Why Chicago diversity consultant Tom Kochman a Friend of mine at the Nab convention explains the conflict like this Whites Are process oriented while Blacks Are results Kochman who is White notes How disturbed Many Whites get Over any process that does not seem fair even handed or Colo Blind while Blacks tend to be just As concerned Over any process that does not bring about tangible results. The irony of the supreme court s North Carolina decision written by Justice Sandra Day o Connor is its agreement with something Lani Guinier has maintained All along that the time tested remedy of racial gerrymandering actually is a form of apartheid that has the unsavoury consequence of reducing the Lani Guinier the misquoted sense of accountability White and Black representatives feel across racial lines. Guinier has said she still thinks Bill Clinton has the potential to be a great healer As president but his commitment is weak. She s right. Clinton s greater commitment to Compromise is laudable but a healer cannot Compromise with a cancer. It must be removed before proper Healing can begin. Trio Chicago Tribuno. American cars baseball salaries Harlow is. Monroe Andy Rodney the following things Are True we say the phone is ringing eve though the sound most telephones makes no longer a cars Are better than they were 10 years ago. Any speaker who uses a Chart and a Pointer is Dull. Restaurants seem to have stopped serving carrots mixed with peas the Way they used to. A lot of things that Are Good to have Aren t Worth the space they take. Kids Don t eat chocolate ice Cream sodas or malted much anymore. The trouble with 12-ounce cans of Coke or Pepsi is you have to drink the whole can or throw some of it away. The erasers on a lot of Lead pencils Are hard and unusable. The people behind the wheels of commercial vans Are the worst Drivers. Elastic bands Are one of the greatest inventions of All time. You Don t see Many people rowing boats anymore. When you re at some function where the food is Laid out on a Long table Buffet style you re Apt to fill your plate up front and not have room left for the Good stuff at the end of the table. There s also the danger of passing up everything and finding yourself with nothing on your plate when you come to the desserts. Considering How interested we Are in getting it there s Seldom any interesting mail. Every time they list a baseball player s batting average they ought to list his salary next to it. If it s going to rain while you re on vacation it s better if it Rains All Day. Unless you Park in a garage you Don t Trust there s no reason Why the ignition key should t open the trunk of your car. The average person does t have much occasion to use a semicolon. Not More than one out of 10 pieces of clothing seems As Good when you Wear it As it did when you bought it. Most people including me Don t know for sure what Yogurt is. Most countries make better bread and better Beer than we make in the United states. Kids Don t play hopscotch anymore. In the morning when i put my Money in my pocket i take All the Bills and the quarters but the pen Nies the Nickels and the dimes Don t seem Worth their weight in my pocket. Jean Harlow was better looking than Marilyn Monroe. You Don t hear much about Max headroom any More. It s fun to have a cigarette lighter even if you Don t smoke cigarettes. After 25 years men Are beginning to accept women in pants inevitably the fashion Industry is going to come up with skirts for me one of these years. Let s see How Long it takes women to get used to that. The United nations has never quite made it. It s not always possible to Tell what a dog has in mind when it barks. A double bed is about right for one. Tribune Madia service Andy Rocney is a firmer stars and Stripe reporter augusts 1993 sunday Page 9
