Prometheus 6   

NAACP leader criticizes President Bush, brother on affirmative action
2003/07/14 03:34 PM EDT

By CORALIE CARLSON, Associated Press

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (July 14, 2003 2:30 p.m. EDT) - The leader of the NAACP criticized President Bush and his brother, Gov. Jeb Bush, for challenging race-conscious admissions in colleges and vowed to work to unseat the president in 2004.

Speaking at the 94th annual convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, chairman Julian Bond praised the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld the use of race as a factor in university admissions policies.

… "The court struck down the points but upheld the principle," Bond said Sunday. "Since the opponents kept telling us that this was all about principle, I'd say we won!"

Bond said he believed affirmative action policies will continue to be challenged. He also promised the civil rights group would be watching states that no longer use affirmative action policies, including Florida, to monitor their commitment to achieving diversity.

Bond criticized the Florida governor for his One Florida program, under which state universities can no longer consider race or gender in admissions decisions. High school students are instead guaranteed admission if they are in the top 20 percent of their graduating class.

…Meanwhile, Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas apologized Monday to the NAACP for the snubbing local officials gave former South African President Nelson Mandela 13 years ago.

…That snub led to a three-year black tourist boycott of the Miami area.