A pair of new radio ads from supporters of affirmative action is under fire from critics who say the ads are deceptive and inaccurate.
MELISSA LEE / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Sunday, June 15, 2008 7:00 pm
A pair of new radio ads from supporters of affirmative action is under fire from critics who say the ads are deceptive and inaccurate.
The ads were launched Friday by Nebraskans United, a coalition fighting a proposed statewide ban on race- and gender-based affirmative action.
One ad warns voters they could be at risk of identity theft or robbery if they sign petitions being circulated by the Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative, a group that’s trying to collect 115,000 signatures by July 4 to get an affirmative action ban on the November ballot.
The other ad says a ban on affirmative action could put certain gender-specific programs, such as those for domestic violence or breast cancer screenings, in jeopardy.
Both are accurate, says Nebraskans United campaign lawyer David Kramer.
“This is part of the voter education campaign,” Kramer said. “The point that we want to be very clear about is voters should be asking themselves who they are giving their signatures to.
“Our ad does not say they shouldn’t sign the petition. Our ad says, ‘Think twice before you sign.’”
But Doug Tietz, executive director of the Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative, called the ads “absolutely ridiculous.”
He said voters put themselves at no risk of identify theft by signing the petition, a process that requires a signature, birthdate and home address. The Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative does not release that information, Tietz said.
He said the ads are being used to intimidate voters.
“This is an assault on direct democracy,” he said. “It’s the elites’ desperation to shut (the Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative) down.”
Meanwhile, he said the other ad is inaccurate, noting women-centered programs still exist in California, Washington and Michigan, states where similar affirmative action bans already have passed.
“Show me the domestic violence shelter that had to close down or show me the woman who couldn’t get a breast cancer screening,” he said. “Then we can have a debate.”
Two weeks ago, the Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative was under fire for its own radio ad, which drew a parallel between race-based affirmative action and the racially divisive comments of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, former pastor of Sen. Barack Obama.
Wright and Ernie Chambers, the Legislature’s only black senator, believe in race preferences, the ad said, but most Nebraskans don’t.
Chambers called the ad a scare tactic and said it indicates Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative backers believe racism is widespread in Nebraska.
Tietz disagrees, saying he thinks the initiative is capitalizing on Nebraskans’ belief that the need for race- and gender-based preferences has passed.
Reach Melissa Lee at 473-2682 or mlee@journalstar.com.