The New Civil Rights Movement

By Tyler Whitney

"I find that shirt offensive," said affirmative action supporter Shanta Driver during a board of canvassers meeting in in July. Driver directed her comments at State Representative Leon Drolet (R-Clinton Township) who wore a shirt that read "End Race Preferences".

Driver leads "By Any Means Necessary" (BAMN), an organization dedicated to lying and cheating to combat the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative (MCRI), a ballot proposal that will eliminate race and gender preferences in college admissions. As with any ultra-leftist organization, BAMN lacks the logic required to articulate their position. Rather than using reasoning (which would defeat their purpose), BAMN uses illegal activity to fight the MCRI.

The current system, which gives minorities preferences in college admissions and hiring is nothing more than institutionalized racism. According to Webster's dictionary, racism is defined as "Discrimination or prejudice based on race." Singling out specific ethnicities for preferential treatment clearly demonstrates discrimination and therefore racism. The MCRI seeks create a system based on merit instead of entitlements.

Numerous liberal organizations have publicly condemned BAMN. The NAACP, one of the MCRI's greatest opponents has publicly criticized BAMN for using radical and confrontational tactics. The NAACP knows the difference between political fighting and physically destructive tactics. Among other things, these tactics include destruction of property and assault.

When MCRI supporters spoke at MSU last year, BAMN protesters created complete chaos. The continuous interruption of the event required security personnel to escort the radical protesters from the building. MSU graduate Jon Chulski describes BAMN as an organization that "Uses any means necessary to trample first amendment rights." Unfortunately, BAMN does not stop at protests. Several other incidents further exemplify BAMN's extreme tactics.


Jennifer Gratz, the executive director of the MCRI has been spat upon by a mob of angry BAMN activists. Apparently, BAMN does not care that most of the confrontational tactics they use are illegal. They simply want to stop the democratic process and enact communist tyranny.

BAMN's tyrannical desires can be proved by the widespread destruction of MCRI petitions. Initiatives like the MCRI need many signatures to legally gain ballot access. Obviously, the thought of Michigan citizens voting to end race preferences terrifies BAMN.

Several MCRI volunteers have reported massive BAMN mobs ruining petitions. Although the destruction methods vary, most BAMN activists pour water on the petitions when determined to trample constitutional rights.

Oftentimes, BAMN members misbehave for no apparent reasons. For example, countless BAMN activists from Detroit looted a cafeteria in downtown Lansing recently. Surprisingly, that incident occurred the same day that the MCRI was delayed ballot access. This proves that BAMN members participate in criminal activity regardless of the situation.

Fortunately, the MCRI has conquered BAMN's fierce opposition and has gained access on the 2006 ballot. Despite the MCRI's ballot presence, prominent Michigan conservatives expect BAMN to engage in ruthless campaigning to fight the MCRI.

Liberal activists across America will fund an all-out assault on the MCRI. These activists will be matched with zealous left-wing campus groups determined to undermine the MCRI. Unless conservatives drop the "National Review" and take to the streets, the far-left racists will succeed.

Although current polling suggests that the MCRI will pass, things can change. With the help of the left-wing media and liberal newspaper editorial pages, the MCRI can amass opposition. Leftists have the power to convince Michigan citizens that the MCRI is a racist ballot proposal. Nothing could be further from the truth. The MCRI seeks to end the institutionalized racism holding back our nation's children and destroying our education system by mandating mediocrity.


Strangely enough, BAMN members continually state that the MCRI is racist. BAMN's claims are a wonderful demonstration of the hypocritical double standard existent in American politics.

When Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous speech and stated that "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. ", he wasn't promoting race preferences.

In order for America to move beyond racism, we must end discriminatory practices. Racial preferences softly imply that minorities are incapable of succeeding on their own. Instead of joining BAMN, self-respecting minorities should applaud the efforts of the MCRI.

Racial preferences only worsen the problem of failing schools and crime in Detroit. Instead of pandering to underachievers, Michigan needs to encourage competition in failing schools. If minorities are forced to compete with white students, they will strive to succeed and work harder. When colleges admit less qualified students solely because of physical characteristics, professors in every area are forced to slow down to accommodate less able students. This makes the education receieved by all students, regardless of color, less valuable.

When these students enter the job market, they are less educated, less qualified, and less able to cope with real life situations. This "educational inflation" makes everyone less competitive in the world and national market. By ending the racism crumbling our higher education, as the MCRI seeks to do, Michigan students will be more competitive in the job market by providing a more worthwhile and quality college education.

However, the outspoken communists at BAMN are opponents to competition. In a way, racial preferences achieves the communist goal of creating a superficially equal society.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that a [communist] "egalitarian" society is BAMN's ultimate goal. Luke Massie, the co-chair of BAMN also leads the Revolutionary Workers League. The Revolutionary Workers League is a Trotskyite organization aimed at destroying capitalism and American businesses.


BAMN is completely open about being linked to the Revolutionary Workers League. The IP addresses and phone numbers for BAMN and the Revolutionary Workers League are identical.

Despite BAMN's connection to communism, Detroit students continue flocking to BAMN activities. The massive popularity of BAMN has puzzled many political activists. In fact, BAMN has been accused of exploiting underprivileged Detroit children for political gain.

Several times a year, BAMN buses students to anti-MCRI rallies. These students are promised food in exchange for opposing the MCRI. At these rallies, BAMN members typically shout racial slurs at European-American individuals. As usual, these racial slurs go unpunished due to the American double standard.

High school students should combat racial hypocrisy and support equality. In November of 2006, By Any Means Necessary will accuse millions of racism. The supposed racists will be the Michigan citizens that voted for freedom and true equality.

On the web:

The Michigan Civil Rights Initiative: www.michigancivilrights.com

By Any Means Necessary: www.bamn.com


Tyler Whitney is the Michigan Federation of Teenage Republicans Chairman and the Ingham County GOP Youth Chair.