V TNG LAI CA CHNG TA V CON EM CHNG TA, C TRI GC VIT TI CALIFORNIA HY I BU V CHNG LI D LUT 209: MI L PHIU CHNG D LUT 209 L MI L PHIU CHO S CNG BNG, L MT S BO V TNG LAI CA CHNG TA V CON EM CA CHNG TA

NGUYN XUN NAM
Thi thܩng, vo mi dp bu c Tng thng Hoa K, chng ta thܩng quan tm nhiu hn v cc vn NJ nh: Ai s ǡc c? Nhng chnh sch ln ca cc ng c vin Tng thng l g?... l s quan tm chnh ng, cn thit. Th nhng, nhiu khi c nhng vn NJ quan trng trn bnh din tiu bang, hay a phng c sc nh hܪng mnh ljn ǩi sng chng ta m chng ta hoc l cha quan tm mt cch ng mc hay thm ch khng my ch trng ljn.

Ti mun ni ljn ci ܮc gi l California Civil Rights Initiative hoc l D Lut 209 trong cuc bu c vo ngy 5 thng 11 nm 1996.

T CI TN NGHE THT LI CUN...

Khi nghe ljn cm t ng California Civil Rights Initiative, chng ta thy b li cun ngay bi trong bn ch y, chng ta thy hai ch quan trng Civil Rights (Dn quyn). Nu khng hiu k ni dung ca n m ch nhn vo thut ng tht nhn bn trn, tht hp dn trn, chng ta chc s b phiu bu cho d lut ny. Th nhng, bn cht v ni dung ch tht ca ci gi l California Civil Rights Initiative l g? Nu California Civil Rights Initiative ܮc thng qua qua k bu phiu ln ny, s phn ca nhng ngܩi da mu, ca ph n, v trong s phn ng o ngܩi Vit ti California s nh th no trong tng lai? y l nhng cu hi ln cho mt vn NJ ln m chng ti s bn ljn trong phn dܧi y.

Thot tin, chng ti mun nhn mnh rng California Civil Rights Initiative (Sng kin dn quyn ca California) v Proposition 209 (D lut 209) thc cht ch l mt. Mt s ngܩi tܪng l hai, nhng ch l hai cch gi khc nhau ca cng mt d lut m thi.

Khi nghe ljn California Civil Rights Initiative, nhiu ngܩi ngh ngay ljn vn NJ rng California Civil Rights Initiative l mt s trnh by li nhng lut l hin hu nhm ngn cm chnh quyn trong vic lu ti vn NJ gii tnh hoc chng tc trong cc vic tuyn dng, hp ng hoc gio dc. Chnh phn ng ca d lut lm cho nhiu ngܩi c th hiu khng ng v phn ngha ca d lut. Ng v ngha trong trܩng hp ny khng i cng vi nhau, khng ph hp nhau. Chnh v th, Richie Ross, nh tham vn chnh tr ca ng Dn Ch, ni: "D lut ny ܮc kho vit mt cch qu quyt ljn ni m mi ngܩi tܪng n chng li s phn bit" (The intiative is so diabolically well-written, people think it must be against discrimination".

Qua tn gi ca d lut, qua cch vit ca d lut v qua kin ca Richie Ross, chng ta thy rng cn phi tm hiu k v d lut trܧc khi c nhng quyt nh c th, ch khng phi ch cn nghe qua tn d lut, bi trong trܩng hp ny, ng v ngha khng i cng vi nhau.

NI DUNG CN BN ca CALIFORNIA CIVIL RIGHTS INITIATIVE (CCRI) L G?

hiu r v y d lut ny, chng ti xin trch nguyn vn ting Anh d lut 209: "The state shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education or public contracting." Xin tm dch ra Vit ng: "Tiu bang s khng k th, hoc ban b s bit i, i vi c nhn hay nhm ngܩi, trn c s chng tc, gii tnh, mu da, sc tc hoc quc tch gc trong hot Ƕng tuyn dng vo cc c quan cng cng, gio dc cng lp hoc hp ng cng cng."

Trn y ch l mt s trch dn phn ct li nht ca d lut 209. Trong thc t, d lut 209 s thc hin nhng g nu ܮc thng qua?

Bi "Pro. 209 Will Hurt Asian Pacific Americans" ca t chc Asian Pacific Americans for Affirmative Action vit: "T chc The California Legislative Analyst, mt t chc chnh ph phi ng phi, chnh thc cng b rng d lut 209 s loi tr tt c nhng hnh thc ca lut hnh Ƕng khng nh (affirmative action) do tiu bang ti tr m khng do lut lin bang yu cu. The Legislative Analyst kt lun rng nu ܮc thng qua CCRI s lm nhng chuyn sau y:

l Cm cc c quan chnh quyn khng ܮc nhm nhng n lc tuyn dng vo nhng sc dn thiu s hoc ph n ngay c nu nhng n lc khng em li cho nhng nhm thiu s hay ph n ny mt li th trong tin trnh chn la tht s.

l Cm cc c quan chnh quyn khng ܮc cung cp nhng chng trnh hun luyn dnh cho cc sc dn thiu s v ph n. Trܩng hc s khng cn kh nng cung cp nhng chng trnh dy km cho cc tr em thuc cc sc dn thiu s nhm gip h hon thnh trung hc v bܧc vo i hc. Nh trܩng cng b cm khng ܮc cung cp nhng lp dy km ton cho n sinh".

LI NH VN BI "CHNG TC"?

Ti nh li vo nm 1994, trong cuc chy ua vo chc v Thng c tiu bang California gia Pete Wilson (ng kim Thng c, Cng Ha) v Kathleen Brown (Dn Ch), b Brown dn trܧc Wilson trong giai on u. Th nhng, sau nh s ph bin mnh d lut 187 (d lut chng di dn bt hp php), Pete Wilson vܮt qua Kathleen Brown v ti ǡc c Thng c California thm mt nhim k na.

Vo thi im , nn kinh t ca tiu bang California ang suy sp v mt s ngܩi cn mt con "vt t thn" Nj m ǰ li, Nj m quy ti v nhng ngܩi di dn sm tr thnh "nn nhn". Tham vn vin chnh tr ca ng Cng Ha, Sal Russo ti Sacramento, ni: "Ti lun lun ngh rng khi m mi ngܩi cm thy cng thng v kinh t, thܩng c khuynh hܧng mnh m hn Nj tm mt ngܩi no Nj m ǰ li". Vic trch c ngܩi di dn lm vui lng cho nhng ngܩi m bo ch thi gi l "angry white men" (nhng ngܩi n ng da trng gin d). V vi s ng h ca nhng "angry white men" ny, Wilson h p Kathleen Brown trong cuc bu c nm y.

Ln ny, trܧc ma bu c, l bi "chng tc" li mt ln na ܮc mang ra s dng. Tuy Ward Connerly, mt trong nhng nh lnh o (regent) gc Phi chu ca h thng UC (i hc California) v cng l Ch tch phong tro vn Ƕng cho d lut 209, ph nhn li buc ti ny; tuy th, nhiu ngܩi thy nhng lin h kh r rng gia d lut 209 v cc vn NJ tranh c.

Trܧc khi bn su vo vn NJ lin quan gia d lut 209, affirmative action v bu c, chng ta cn im qua mt s d kin v con s m bo The San Jose Mercury News a ra:

- Nhng cuc thm d kin gn y cho thy rng affirmative action khng phi l nhng vn NJ quan tm hng u ca c tri.

- Field Polls cho thy rng s ngܩi ng h d lut 209 vn chim trn 50% trong s nhng c tri ng k bu c hay chc chn bu c. Trong lc , s c tri chng d lut 209 ch c t 20 cho ljn 35%. Con s 19% s c tri cha bit s nghing v bn no, v cn ang bn khon s c th gy ra nhng o ln vo gi pht cui.

- a s, d ch trn 50% mt cht, s c tri ng k cho bit s ng h affirmative action.

Nh th, chng ta thy rng cuc chin u bo v affirmative action v chng i d lut 209 tr thnh mt cuc chin u gay go m chng ta, nhng c tri ngܩi Vit, cn phi gp phn mnh vo trong cuc chin u chung .

Hallye Jordan ca nht bo The San Jose Mercury News cho thy rng ng Cng Ha ng h mnh m d lut 209 v xem d lut 209 l vn NJ ca ng ny (Republicans make it their issue).

ng Cng Ha ng h mnh d lut 209 v:

- ng ny t lu tin rng d lut 209 s c sc thu ht mnh c tri, nht l nhng c tri bo th. Chnh Patrick Buchanan trong bi vit vo thng 2, 1993 xc nhn rng l cch Nj c th on kt li lin minh cnh bo th.

- Theo bo Los Angeles Daily News, Pete Wilson, Thng c California, cho rng d lut 209 "c mi kh nng to ra s cch bit d di trong cuc chy ua" Tng thng v Dn biu.

Chnh nhng l do ny mt ln na cho thy rng vn NJ "chng tc" l "mt vn bi" hay mt "phng tin" Nj ng Cng Ha s dng vo cc mc tiu chnh tr.

Chnh v thy tm quan trng ca vn bi ny, ng Cng Ha t ra nht qun v mnh m trong vic ng h c tinh thn v ti chnh cho cng vic vn Ƕng cho d lut ny.

Vo thng 12 ri, khi phong tro vn Ƕng cho d lut 209 ht tin, chnh Connerly v Wilson vn Ƕng cc dn biu Cng Ha ti tr. ng Cng Ha ti California v cc chnh tr gia ca ng ny ti tr 480,000 M kim ngay lp tc.

Vo thng 9, 1996, chnh Wilson v Newt Gingrich, Pht ngn vin ca H Vin, dng uy tn c nhn Nj gi in thoi cho 60 nh lnh o thng mi, v ku gi h ng h cho d lut 209.

Nh vy, chng ta thy rng ng Cng Ha tch cc ng h d lut ny v cc mc tiu chnh tr v v cuc chy ua vo ta Bch c cng nh cc c quan dn c khc.

Bn cnh s tham gia mt cch mnh m ca ng Cng Ha nhm a d lut 209 ljn thnh lut v nhm xa b lut affirmative action, nhiu ngܩi nhn nhn rng h c mt s hiu lm ng tic i vi affirmative action. Hu ht ngܩi ng h affirmative action l nhng ngܩi thuc giai cp trung lu. Nhiu khi con ci h np n vo trܩng i hc c uy tn nhng b t chi v h vi vng ǰ li cho affirmative action. Ngay c Connerly cng tha nhn: "In some cases, it was just sheer competition, but they blame it on affirmative action. They blame it on the belief that someone got a preference or an advantage (over their child)". Xin tm dch: "Trong mt s trܩng hp, n ch l mt s cnh tranh thun tu, nhng h li ǰ li cho affirmative action. H ǰ li cho affirmative action trn nim tin rng mt ngܩi no ܮc bit i hay li th hn con ca h."

S ng nhn ny cng gp phn x y thm mt s ngܩi no vo vic b phiu cho d lut 209, chng li affirmative action.

Trong lc , pha chng i d lut ny khng nhng khng c th mnh v ti chnh m cn c nhng tr ngi khc. Pha chng i c mt lin minh gm cc t chc dn quyn v quyn ph n gm cc t chc nh: a S Ph N, T Chc Quc Gia V Ph N, Hi Quc Gia V S Tin B Ca Dn Da Mu v YWCA. V thiu tin, nhng t chc ny ch trng vo nhng vic nh tranh lun, ng k c tri, v gio dc c tri...

Lin minh chng d lut 209 ng trܧc chin tuyn bo v affirmative action trn phm vi quc gia v nh Eleanor Smeal, Ch tch Hi a S Ph N v l thnh vin ban chp hnh phong tro bo v Affirmative Action, ni: "Nu CCRI thnh cng ti California, CCRI s trn sang cc ni khc trn ton quc bi California ܮc xem nh mt tiu bang to ra xu hܧng cho c nܧc." Trong ngha , vic chng d lut CCRI l mt vic lm tht c ngha.

Trong nhng cng ty ln tham gia phong tro chng CCRI, ni bt nht l cng ty Pacific Gas & Electronic (PG &E), do Stanley T. Skinner lm Gim c. Trong pht biu vo thng trܧc v thi Ƕ chng d lut CCRI ca PG&E, Skinner ni: "Mc d rng d lut s trc tip nh hܪng nhng c quan cng cng, d lut ny cng to ra mt m my m trn nhng chng trnh tuyt vi m hin nay cc cng ty, trܩng hc, bnh vin v nhng t chc khc ang c." PG&E l cng ty ln u tin ng ra cng khai chng d lut 209 v b ngay s chng tr d di ca nhng ngܩi bnh vc d lut 209. Nhng ngܩi bnh vc CCRI quy ti cho PG&E rng cng ty ny trong thc t ang ng h s bit i cho mt s ngܩi v k th nhng ngܩi khc. Lp lun ny ging y nh nhng lp lun chng affirmative action v cho rng affirmative action l k th ngܮc li ngܩi da trng.

Tuy vy, nhiu ngܩi t ra sm quan ngi rng nu CCRI ܮc thng qua, nhiu chng trnh nhm to iu kin cho ngܩi da mu, ph n -nhng ngܩi ang b tht li trong cuc sng tm vic, hc hnh v b k th- c c hi vn ln s b mt i v nh vy, mt tng lai bt n, bp bnh y e da nh ch chc sn u y.

N NHNG KIN PHN I D LUT 209

Ngay trong mc x lun ca bo The San Jose Mercury News ra ngy 22 thng 9, bo ny nu r kin ca bo (the opinion of the Mercury News) ngay trn NJ ta nh sau: "A vote against Proposition 209 is a vote for fairness" (Mt l phiu chng d lut 209 l mt l phiu cho s cng bng). y l mt bi x lun cht ch v l lun, nhn bn v ni dung, hp l v bi cnh v r rng v s la chn khi kt lun rng: "Mt l phiu chng d lut 209 l mt bܧc tin ti mt tiu bang California tht s khng phn bit mu da."

Trong bi y, nhiu t tܪng v nhn nh cn bn ܮc a ra nh:

- "Chng ti quan ngi rng mt n lc nhm loi b affirmative action s phn cc tiu bang ny dc theo cc gii tuyn sc tc".

- "Lut affirmative action vn rng ra nhm bao hm c mt s ngܩi no . Lut affirmative action c th hoc khng dnh sn mt s ch ǥc bit cho h. Lut affirmative action c th hay khng h thp nhng tiu chun bnh thܩng nhm nhn h vo. V Lut affirmative action thܩng thܩng o lܩng s thnh cng ca n bng nhng g m ngܩi ng h gi l nhng mc ch v nhng ngܩi chng i gi l nhng ch tiu (quota)".

- "Ti cc trܩng nm trong h thng i hc California (UC), nhng nh lnh o i hc (regents) xa b nhng u i ca lut affirmative action trܧc s phn i mnh m ca nhiu nh qun tr nh trܩng, nhiu gio s v nhiu sinh vin. Mt lc lܮng ǥc nhim theo di vn NJ nhn sinh vin vo hc ܧc on rng s thay ǰi ny (xa b affirmative action) lm gim thiu s ghi danh ca s sinh vin gc Nam M xung 15% v s sinh vin gc Phi chu xung 50%. iu ny cho thy khng ngc nhin my khi nhng sc dn thiu s -nhiu ph n ca mi sc dn- quan nim rng d lut CCRI l th nghch i vi h" ...

Bi x lun kt lun rng "mt l phiu bu cho d lut 209 hay l California Civil Rights Initiative l mt l phiu chng li affirmative action. ng hay sai, l phiu ܮc nhiu ngܩi xem l mt s chi t cc sc dn thiu s v ph n. iu ny chnh l s sai thi, v California l mt s sai ch v chuyn ."

Cng trn nht bo The San Jose Mercury News s ra ngy 22 thng 9, n ngh s Dianne Feinstein vit bi th hin quan im chng i ca b i vi d lut 209 dܧi ta NJ "Affirmative Action Opens the Doors to Opportunities" (Lut affirmative action m ca cho nhng c hi). Trong bi ny, n ngh s vit:

- "D lut 209 e da nhng chng trnh nhm gip ǫ nhng c gi v ph n thnh cng trong trܩng hc v bܧc vo i hc v cc trܩng cao hc."

- "i vi hu ht chng ta, ngn ng c v lch thip ca d lut 209 lm cho d lut 209 tr nn hp dn hn, nhng d lut ang hܧng dn sai lc chng ta."

- N ngh s Dianne Feinstein trch dn mt cu pht biu ca Elizabeth Hill, mt nh phn tch ca California Legislative Analyst, nh sau: "D lut ny s loi b nhiu chng trnh ca cc trܩng cng lp v i hc cng ng nh c vn, dy km, gip ǫ ti chnh cho sinh vin, gip ǫ ti chnh cho nhng khu trܩng hc ܮc la chn, m ni nhng chng trnh ny da vo... chng tc, gii tnh, sc dn, hoc quc tch gc."

Cui cng, n ngh s Dianne Feinstein kt lun rng "Tt c chng ta c bn phn nu ra nhng vn NJ k th, nhng ngn ng hܧng dn sai lc ca d lut 209 khng phi l cch ng."

Skinner ca hng PG&E, lp trܩng ca nht bo The San Jose Mercury News, ngh s Dianne Feinstein... NJu ku gi loi b d lut 209.

Trong nhng ngܩi ku gi loi b d lut 209, chng ti ch trng ǥc bit bi vit "Proposition 209 Will Hurt Asian Pacific Americans" ca t chc Asian Pacific Americans for Affirmative Action. Bi vit ny cho rng d lut 209 nu ܮc thng qua s "o ngܮc nhiu thnh qu m ngܩi M gc Chu Thi Bnh Dng to ra trong ba thp nin qua" hay "loi b trn 25 chng trnh hp ng cng cng mang li li ch cho ngܩi M gc Chu Thi Bnh Dng" v hng lot chng trnh c li khc.

Mt v d l ngnh thu khon. Do nhng quyt nh ca to n vo nm 1989, thnh ph San Francisco loi b hu ht nhng nh thu khon gc Chu Thi Bnh Dng ra khi hu ht cc hp ng. Trܧc , cc nh thu gc Chu Thi Bnh Dng nhn ܮc 4.7% hp ng chnh v 15.4% cc hp ng thu li. Th nhng, ch trong mt nm, cc hp ng ca h st gim nh xe xung dc m b t thng cn 0.6% m thi. Cc nh thu chnh v cc c quan chnh quyn thnh ph khng cn k hp ng vi nhng nh thu ngܩi M gc Chu Thi Bnh Dng na. Mt nh thu gc Chu Thi Bnh Dng ni: "Khng c lut affirmative action, h tr li vi thi quen c ca h. H khng cn gi cc nh thu gc Chu Thi Bnh Dng na v bt u gi bn b ca h... H tr li ngay cch lm c m h tng quen."

Trong ngha , mun lo cho tng lai ca chng ta v c tng lai ca con em chng ta trnh khi nn k th, chng ta PHI I BU V LOI B NGAY D LUT 209.

ng Nj ngy mai ca chng ta b k th, v ng Nj con em chng ta ln ln s nguyn ra chng ta, trch nhim ca chng ta l i bu v nh nht bo The San Jose Mercury News vit:

"Mi l phiu chng d lut 209 l mi l phiu cho s cng bng."

Ti liu tham kho:

1. The San Jose Mercury News, 209 Subtly Targets Affirmative Action, 9-20-96.

2. The San Jose Mercury News, Toward a truly colorblind California, 9-22-96.

3. The San Jose Mercury News, Affirmative Action opens the doors to opportunity, 9-22-96.

4. Asian Pacific Americans for Affirmative Action, Prop. 209 Will Hurt Pacific Americans, 8-1996.

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