Tensions Flare at Debate on Affirmative Action Laws

Nearly 500 students and community members packed Pauley Ballroom yesterday for a heated debate on affirmative action.

The debate, sponsored by the Berkeley College Republicans and BAMN, an organization supporting affirmative action, featured conservative commentator Mason Weaver and BAMN national spokesperson Shanta Driver.

During the event, which drew heated comments from both speakers and audience members, Weaver argued that affirmative actions programs hinder self-reliance among minorities.

Weaver, a black man, implored students to see the logic of Proposition 209, the controversial 1997 law that prohibited the consideration of race in public hiring and admissions.

"The state of California shall not discriminate or give preferential treatment to any person," Weaver said, reading from text of Proposition 209. "Who could disagree with that?"

Driver, however, argued that affirmative action is necessary to fight institutionalized racism.

"The only way to root out institutionalized racism is first to recognize that it exists and then to take positive actions against it," Driver said, pointing to the civil rights movement and the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision as a turning point for equality. Driver said the fight for affirmative action is the modern civil rights movement.

During the debate, Weaver used the term "plantation" more than twenty times throughout the event to describe his frustration with affirmative action, saying blacks still expected "massa to help."

Weaver said affirmative action reinforces stereotypes because it perpetuates dependency on the government for a hand-out.

"You can't talk about equality and support a government race-based program," Weaver said. "Racism is racism."

Driver countered that societies are expected to depend upon government programs for the common good,

pointing to public schools as an example. She said minority students have been denied the chance to succeed academically.

"The question is not can we compete," Driver said. "The question is are we given the opportunity."

Tensions ran high throughout the event, including heated comments from Oakland Technical High School teacher Tania Kappner, an audience member, who called Weaver a "shameless opportunist."

Weaver responded by later during the debate by saying, "I want to end public education. I want to put you out of work. You are killing our kids and debasing our communities. You are the enemy."

Students who attended the event said it was informative, despite the polarization between the two sides of the argument.

"I think it was a productive event," said freshman Angel Lopez. "It gave students a good foundation."

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