[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 93 (Monday, June 23, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H5683-H5684]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 ON THE DEATH OF FORMER ATLANTA MAYOR MAYNARD JACKSON AND AFFIRMATIVE 
                                 ACTION

  (Ms. WATSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my shock and sadness 
at the untimely passing of our dear friend, Maynard Jackson, former 
Mayor of Atlanta and one of our country's most charismatic political 
leaders. I also want to take this opportunity to remember Maynard's 
contribution to affirmative action on the day when the Supreme Court 
declared its support for the program.
  Maynard was a giant of his time, a trailblazer and a dedicated public 
servant who became the inspiration for generations of African American 
politicians. His election in 1974 as the Mayor of Atlanta helped usher 
in a new movement of racial equality and a new process of interracial 
understanding and coexistence where the spirit of the civil rights 
movement was carried forward by victories at the ballot box.
  Maynard will be remembered as the South's first big city African 
American mayor, but his legacy was much more than that. During his 
three terms as mayor, Maynard oversaw construction of the midfield 
terminal at Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport, established a 
cultural affairs department, brought the Olympics to Atlanta, and all 
the while gave voice to the city's in-town neighborhoods. Perhaps one 
of the most significant accomplishments of Maynard Jackson's tenure was 
his early support and leadership on affirmative action.
  During his first term, Maynard instituted a groundbreaking 
affirmative action program that elevated the percentage of city 
contracts awarded to minorities in Atlanta from less than 1 percent in 
1973 to 38.6 percent 5 years later.
  One of the great success stories of Maynard's affirmative action 
program was the creation of a joint venture between white and minority-
owned businesses during the construction of the Atlanta airport. 
Working from a vision of inclusion, Maynard was able to unite various 
groups and interests in building one of the most complex airport 
terminals in the world ahead of schedule and within the budget.
  It is particularly ironic, then, that Maynard passed away on the day 
that the Supreme Court issued its landmark ruling. In two successive 
votes, the Justices recognized that the most effective way to cure 
society of its exclusionary practices is to make special efforts at 
inclusion, which is exactly what affirmative action does.
  We will never forget him. He will have a legacy that will live on 
forever in the United States of America.
  There has always been affirmative action in public policy--but for 
many years it operated to exclude, rather than include, people of 
color. Affirmative action was put in place to not only encourage 
diversity, but to be a minor step in the direction of justice after 
hundreds of years of institutional and social discrimination against 
women and people of color in the United States.
  Much of the opposition to affirmative action is framed on the grounds 
of so-called ``reverse discrimination and unwarranted preferences.'' In 
fact, less than 2 percent of the 91,000 employment discrimination cases 
pending before the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission are 
reverse discrimination cases. Under the law as written in Executive 
Orders and interpreted by the courts, anyone benefitting from 
affirmative action must have relevant and valid job or educational 
qualifications.
  Opponents of affirmative action also claim it is discriminatory. The 
problem with this myth is that it uses the same word--discrimination--
to describe two very different things. Job discrimination is grounded 
in prejudice and exclusion, whereas affirmative action is an effort to 
overcome prejudicial treatment through inclusion. The most effective 
way to cure society of exclusionary practices is to make special 
efforts at inclusion, which is exactly what affirmative action does. 
When thinking about affirmative action policy, it is important to keep 
this principle in mind.
  In fact, despite the progress that has been made, the playing field 
today is still far from level. Women continue to earn 76 cents for 
every dollar earned by a male. Black people continue to have twice the 
unemployment rate of white people, and graduate from college at half 
the rate of white people. In fact, without affirmative action the 
percentage of Black students at many selective schools would drop to 
only 2% of the total student body.
  While I applaud the Court's decision today, our society still suffers 
from racial discrimination. It is unfortunate that after all these 
years we are still fighting an uphill battle for full inclusion into 
our nation's society.
  However, we are fortunate to have had the civil rights movement and 
leaders like Maynard Jackson. In remembering Maynard, we must carry on 
his legacy and his commitment to never waver from equality for all.

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