Posted by
Katy Grimes on Friday, April 17, 2009 4:15:48 PM
Last evening my husband and I had the tremendous privilege of attending the annual dinner meeting for the Sacramento County Taxpayer League. Whoopie! you are saying to yourself - boy, Katy knows how to party!
My exciting lifestyle aside, it was a great evening. At dinner I sat next to Jon Coupal of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (and friend) and opponent of Prop1A
http://www.hjta.org/ During the dinner, Assemblyman Roger Niello spoke as did Jon Coupal, or I should say they debated Prop 1A, as they find themselves on the opposite sides of that initiative. This is the second time I have heard Niello and Coupal debate 1A; I agree wholeheartedly with Coupal and the HJTA position of NO on Prop 1A (and NO on 1A-F) The audience asked many poignant questions, incuding one directed at Niello as to why he diverged from the Republican caucas to vote for the flawed California budget. Niello responded by saying that "the Republican party is too focused on taxes." Oh really. That could be a career ending statement.
The highlight of the evening was a heartfelt talk given by Ward Connerly, of the American Civil Rights Institute (ACRI), highlighting his new book
Lessons From My Uncle James (
http://www.acri.org/buy_lessons.html) ...Beyond Skin Color to the Content of Our Character. We learned how Connerly was orphaned at a very young age and went to live with Uncle James and Aunt Bert, and how they raised him to be a man of character and substance (my words, not his).
Connerly gained national attention as an "outspoken advocate of equal opportunity for all Americans, regardless of race, sex, or ethnic background" in the 1990's and with with Proposition 209, by trying to end all affirmative action programs in California state government.
I have admired Mr. Connely for years, and it was an honor to meet him after hearing his impassioned talk. Anyone who reads my columns knows that I am anti-affirmative action and have been since I was old enough to recognize it. And having been the victim of it as well, I have an affinity for his work.
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