Dear CEO supporters,
They don’t call it March Madness for nothing. This year March arrived with a flurry of activity at the Center for Equal Opportunity as we waged on multiple fronts our relentless battle against race-based policies and discrimination. As this busy month comes to end, we want to update you on our recent efforts.
DELIVERING OUR MESSAGE TO CONGRESS
On March 1, CEO President and General Counsel Devon Westhill was invited to testify at the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. CEO has a proud history of testifying before Congress on key civil rights issues and this was no exception. Mr. Westhill delivered powerful testimony on publicly sanctioned racial discrimination in America, particularly against Asian American students.
As Mr. Westhill told congressional leaders:
“The evidence presented in the Harvard case indicates that extraordinarily well-qualified Asian American applicants are routinely downgraded via character and fitness ratings assigned by admissions officials. This process makes a mockery of merit-based admissions and is a naked pretense for simple racial balancing that intentionally decreases Asian American representation, and that of other applicants, on the basis of their skin color and ethnicity that is reminiscent of 20th century efforts by the same institution to limit enrollment of Jewish students.
“…We ought to carefully and thoughtfully work to eliminate racial discrimination in a country that in so many ways over its history has sanctioned it. Not just for preferred races, but for every single individual.”
You can read his full opening statement on CEO’s website and watch the entire proceedings here, including some fireworks at the end with Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX).
ARGUING IN THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION
As you know, much of CEO’s work involves informing the public and communicating our positions to a nationwide audience. CEO Chairman Linda Chavez has continued taking our message to the airwaves in recent weeks, appearing on several cable shows including the national news program Dan Abrams Live. She is also a frequent source in news stories on our issues and continues her weekly appearances on the Beg To Differ podcast, available on iTunes.
Mr. Westhill was a guest on the Rick Hamada radio show recently to discuss CEO’s work in addition to his regular weekly appearances on the nationally syndicated Lars Larson Radio Show. Among other topics, he discussed his experience before the House Judiciary Committee and the breaking news that a federal judge had issued a stinging rebuke of the unconstitutional and racially discriminatory admissions practices at Thomas Jefferson High School (one of the top public high schools in America). He also sounded the alarm on Princeton University’s scheme to help students navigate career paths with Morgan Stanley only if they are from favored diverse groups such as black, Hispanic, Native American and/or the LGBTQ community. As Mr. Westhill articulates, this scheme is blatantly illegal and immoral.
Mr. Westhill also had an important piece in Newsweek, discussing the Harvard and University of North Carolina SCOTUS cases, and participated in a spirited panel discussion on Critical Race Theory hosted by the Chicago-Kent Chapters of the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy, Black Law Students Association, and Federalist Society.
OFFICE OF PLANNED GIVING
As you may have seen, last week CEO announced the launch of our new Office of Planned Giving. Now, as a supporter of colorblind equal opportunity, you can forever help the fight for nondiscrimination and race-neutral public policy in America by including a gift to CEO as part of your legacy. There are many ways to include CEO in your planning, including:
- Bequests through your will or trust
- Naming CEO as the beneficiary of a retirement account, insurance policy, bank or brokerage account
- Making a gift of real estate such as a residence or commercial property
- Donating appreciated securities like stocks, bonds, or mutual funds
Visit our website for more details.
LAST CALL ON CEO CIVIL RIGHTS FELLOWSHIP
Just a reminder this week is the last opportunity to apply for CEO’s inaugural Civil Rights Fellowship. The program, which will take place between Tuesday, August 9 – Friday, August 12, is intended for law students with an interest in a career in a public, private, or nonprofit setting where their instruction and training can be shared with the public, the courts, and/or through policy development. Law students interested in colorblind equal opportunity and nondiscrimination in America should visit our website to learn more and apply. The deadline to apply is this Friday, April 1.
FROM THE CEO VAULT
Linda Chavez’s book Out of the Barrio: Toward a New Politics of Hispanic Assimilation caused shockwaves 30 years ago when it was first released. In this hour-long interview on C-SPAN, she discussed the social, economic, and political implications of the integration of Hispanics into U.S. culture and the ramifications of immigration policy and affirmative action programs on their assimilation. In some ways, much of the debate remains the same today as it was 30 years. One major difference is on “bilingual education,” which Ms. Chavez criticized heavily in her book, as did CEO board member Dr. Rosalie Porter in her own book Forked Tongue: The Politics of Bilingual Education.
We won the battle against so-called bilingual education thanks to the efforts of parents and supporters who insisted that the most important goal should be helping children learn English as quickly as possible. We will always fight for the principle of E Pluribus Unum and against misguided race-based policies as long as they exist. As the madness of March comes to an end, it’s worth looking back and seeing how far we’ve come.
We hope you stay safe and enjoy the Final Four.
Rudy Gersten
Executive Director
