Monday, October 28, 1996
Protesters hope to sway voters in last days of campaign
By Marie Blanchard and Karen Duryea
"How does it feel to be the civil rights of the movement of the '90s?" asked civil rights leader Dolores Huerta, at Sunday's STOP Prop 209 rally.
In the shade of the Federal Building, thousands gathered yesterday afternoon to hear speakers Rev. Jesse Jackson; Eleanor Smeal, leader of the Feminist Majority; Tom Hayden, 23rd District state senator; Congresswoman Maxine Waters and singer/songwriter Bruce Springsteen.
With Nov. 5 quickly approaching, the rally was one of several last-ditch efforts in a 10-day countdown to the elections aiming to appeal to indecisive voters.
"The polls say we're behind," Smeal told the crowd. "Don't be discouraged by the polls; the supporters (of Proposition 209) are dropping ... Our job is to make sure they're behind the only day that counts, and that's Election Day."
Organizers of the rally said their goal was to inform voters that Proposition 209, if passed, would end affirmative action. Nowhere on the ballot does the phrase affirmative action appear, possibly misleading voters, Smeal said.
People of all races and ages pressed forward as Rev. Jesse Jackson stirred the crowd, stressing that de-racialization of issues like affirmative action must occur for Prop. 209 to be defeated.
"It's a majority issue, not a minority issue," Jackson said. "Whenever we all come together, we almost always win."
The latest polls indicate that 54 percent of California voters support the initiative, according to Smeal. Nonetheless, an estimated 2,500 anti-209 advocates attended the rally, according to Jen Bott, press coordinator. But when Huerta asked the crowd if there were enough protesters there, they replied, "No."
"You shouldn't have any room between you," Huerta urged.
Huerta told the crowd to help mobilize voters by asking for a "big favor;" to ask at least 10 trustworthy friends to vote against the proposition in hopes that their message will spread and 209 will be stopped.
"If, in fact, all of us do that, then we have a chance of winning," she said. "Red shirts," as the volunteers were referred to, worked the crowd to request donations and recruit more volunteers to man the polling places a week from Tuesday.
As the final speaker, Bruce Springsteen took the podium after Rev. Jackson and, once again, the crowd surged forward. He joked that he was unprepared to speak.
"Jesse Jackson just gave the speech I was going to give," he said.
The traffic and police sirens on Wilshire Boulevard served as a backdrop for "The Boss'" speech, but he wasn't talking about music Sunday.
"I am here today because I believe it is very important to stop Proposition 209 in California," Springsteen said. "It's not a race and colorblind country; if you think so, then there's a job for you over in Disneyland. Affirmative action has been an effective tool since the beginning."
After he sang two songs, harmonica and all, the crowd made requests for Springsteen to sing "Born in UCLA," to no avail.
Sen. Hayden expressed his opposition to the proposition.
"California can still be a model of opportunity and diversity for the world if we defeat this initiative," he said. "Where is our party? Is it courting Wall Street instead of Watts?"
Congresswoman Maxine Waters attacked the UC system and its lack of diversity.
"Regents ought to be ashamed of the nine college campuses ... ," Waters said.
"Look at the meager numbers of people of color who are still out of the system. We need to work hard to attract young kids."
<----mmm, Bruce vids will make me feel bettah. 
wow thanks
