In the cursed cause of DEI.
The mayor of Madison says the City does not discriminate on the basis of race. The mayor of Madison is delusional. Yes, the City most certainly does discriminate on the basis of race! But it’s the right kind of racial discrimination, doncha know!
[UPDATE: WI Institute for Law & Liberty issues cease & desist on race-based assistance.]
Just last week, the City of Madison began looking for applicants to run its $300,000 “BizReady program” to train, offer technical assistance and start-up money for new business entrepreneurs — but only if they are “BIPOC” — black, indigenous, people of color.
“BizReady emerged from an understanding that BIPOC business ownership in Madison lagged behind BIPOC population growth in the city. Madison believes in creating a diverse business ownership ecosystem that fosters inclusion within the community,” the Emerald City says.
Which is not what Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in reaction to a new state statute banning local government from using race-based preferences in hiring and contracting. She claimed the law would have no impact because the practice has already been barred by state and federal law for decades. While the new legislation may not be apples to apples, Rhodes-Conway lamented it was “unfortunate that the state legislature continues to adopt policies that undermine (diversity, equity, and inclusion) efforts and attack local control.”
‘Definitely illegal’
Of Madison’s BizReady program, Wisconsin Institute of Law & Liberty attorney Daniel Lennington told Blaska Policy Werkes:
Seems definitely illegal to me. Unfortunately for Madison, the Constitution forbids discrimination even if some grant document says “go for it.” Minority business enterprise (MBE) programs are unconstitutional and will likely be struck down in the coming years. We obtained an order recently against the Minority Business Development Agency, and another group enjoined the SBA from running its famously unconstitutional Section 8(a) MBE program.
That case would be Jeffery Nuziard, et. al. v. Minority Business Development Agency, et. al., Case 4:23-cv-00278-P.
On 06-05-23, the U.S. District Court in Northern Texas granted a motion for a preliminary injunction against the Wisconsin MBDA Business Center, the Orlando MBDA Business Center, and the Dallas-Fort Worth MBDA Business Center “from imposing the racial and ethnic classifications … or otherwise considering or using plaintiffs’ race or ethnicity in determining whether they can receive access to the Center’s services and benefits.”
“The District Court found that the MBDA’s presumption of social or economic disadvantage for certain ethnicities did not survive strict scrutiny and was therefore unconstitutional racial discrimination,” according to one analysis. Just a month ago (06-29-23), the U.S. Supreme Court banned race-based affirmative action in college admissions if federal funding is involved. The logic of that case would apply regardless of the venue.
Hellz bellz, Madison’s BizReady program violates the city’s own ordinances for instance, declares:
It is the official policy of the City of Madison to provide equal employment and promotional opportunities and equal access to public services for all persons from all segments of the Madison community without regard to their race, religion, color, age, marital status, disability, sex, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity, hereinafter referred to as affected or under-represented groups.
— Madison Ordinance 39.02
Which is 180 degrees contradicted by the City’s own Civil Rights Division:
We see the Department of Civil Rights as a focal point for affirmative action, disability rights, equal opportunities, racial equity and social justice in the region.
— City of Madison “Know your rights“
Blaska’s Bottom Line: We want everyone to succeed. We applaud the just-opened Madison Black Business Hub on the south side, which is mostly privately funded. But race-based public policy is tearing this country apart. Madison should help people according to economic need rather than race.
29 responses to “Madison helps by race, not need”
Didn’t some guy named David already prevail in a lawsuit (filed by WILL in David’s name) concerning the 9 positions (out of 11) on Madison’s Police Oversight Committee for which David was disqualified because of his race and other things beyond his control?
This David fellow didn’t actually win in court. The City of Madison changed its hiring criteria for the positions as a result of the suit.
Madison ended up hiring pretty much the same folks they intended in the first place anyway.
[…] This post originally appeared at https://davidblaska.com/2023/07/24/madison-helps-by-race-not-need/ […]
Regardless of the equity considerations I’d love to see the applicants pitch on Madison’s own version of “Shark Tank”. Madison city channel ratings would benefit and local successor entrepreneurs would have a blast being the sharks. Pleasant Rowland as Mrs.Wonderful ? Judy Faulkner as resident ass ala Mark Cuban ?
Shark Tank is my favorite TV program (along with Clarkson’s Farm).
Part of the reason these racist initiatives exist in the first place is that POCs in this town know that all they have to do is snap their fingers and guilty white Madison liberals will do their bidding. In fact, things have reached point where they don’t even have to bother snapping their fingers.
Also any business hub worth its salt would target PHMDC for annihilation.
“The Way To Stop Discrimination On The Basis Of Race Is To Stop Discriminating On The Basis Of Race.” Chief Justice/SCOTUS John Roberts, Jr.
Don’t expect despicable Lefty to ever get it!
The Gotch
tell that to the gov of Texas.
THAT is one of THE most cluelessly idiotic false equivalencies The Gotch has ever read!
The breathtaking depth of the Lazy @$$ Blogge Idiot TROLT‘s crushing imbecility never ceases to amaze!
The Gotch
Tell him to worry more about the 22 weapon violations since May 30. That should really be our biggest worry. Didn’t Lightfoot lose in Chi…opps, this is Mad city. Nevermind.
Of course, Madison’s mayor would deny this type of hiring practice. Look at her and her record. Like Gavin Newsome, her blinders are tightly stuck on; and her deception is very fine tuned.
Well; I guess you guys can just take all your grievances to the State Supreme Court starting in August.
“All pigs are equal but some pigs are more equal than others.”
George Orwell
Thanks, Pantifarts, for helping the Head Groundskeeper always look on the bright side of life as the Werkes proof readers languish in the N. Korean gulag.
“race-based public policy is tearing this country apart”
It’s not, actually. White racism actually did tear this country apart, and it didn’t simply disappear. Rs are drumming up a tear-the-country-apart culture war as an electoral strategy – there were not people writhing in the streets because of race based college admissions. There’s no grass roots movement on the issue, its roots are big $$$ donors creating astro-turf, buying media, buying court cases, buying judges, and buying politicians. So who’s tearing the country apart again?
It’s just a play to White insecurity; to make that group feel victimized and trigger racial resentment to get R votes. Classic and well-documented technique. The fundamental reason for R existence, make the rich more rich, isn’t popular so stuff like this is necessary. Every cycle is some variation on the theme of “brown people are taking something away from white people”, it’s like clockwork.
No. The fundamental reason for R existence was to get rid of slavery by conquering the White racist Democrats. Other than that little quibble, Rollie…
Heh!
The Gotch
That is a fun catchphrase that has absolutely zero relation to todays R party.
Something like 2/3rds of Americans are opposed to affirmative action, according to reliable public opinion polling. Lot of racists?
I’m not nor are any Black people I know upset about the AA ruling in and of itself. It’s where all this is coming from: i.e. obviously not from any actual positive feelings about Black people. The problem is racists on the left, center and right, and AA didn’t do anything about anyone’s racist attitudes except for make racists even madder. While it’s popular for rank and file conservatives to act like Blacks are making it all up, in reality it’s still pretty crazy out there in White dominated spaces.
“to make that group feel victimized and trigger racial resentment”
Riiiiight outta the Lefty Playbook!
And the deeply viscid irony through which you had to slog to type that?
Priceless!
The Gotch
The lefty playbook!? It is a literal and longstanding political strategy for modern Rs. Look at you acting like you never heard of the Southern Strategy! The “good cop” liberals do it to minorities, the “bad cop” conservatives do it to Whites, then in the end guess who wins? The rich, of course! Stop lying to yourselves as if the R and D parties aren’t both terrible. You are being used, but since it feels so good to be used, you’ll let them use you up 😉
Nice bait and switch. It was Asian Americans driving the push against race based college admissions. But you can’t sell Asian American racism can you?
Yes, everyone forgets the SCOTUS case against Harvard and UNC was brought by Asian students. I guess it only works for the left when Whitey is the fault. Never hear much about the shooter in North Dakota being from Syria do you. What happened to the manifesto of the trans Nashville shooter?I can go on and on.
Nice try. It may have been an Asian-American plaintiff in the suit, but it is plainly obvious that this is not a grass-roots movement in the Asian-American community. This is conservative political donors creating a culture war issue for 2024. Just because you agree with them doesn’t mean you can’t admit that these culture war issues are a manufactured “crisis” to drum up voters. It was not tearing the country apart until the media told us it was tearing the country apart.
On this I agree. The more important issue is that college just gives bullshit degrees to too many people. And saddles them with debt to do it. Would love to see a “say NO to college” grass-roots effort supported by companies who recognize the value of smart people hungry for success.
Dump all the MBAs and miscellaneous certifications as well.
Wrong once again, Rollie. I was the victim of AA back in 1986 in school and have been rallying against it ever since. “You cant fight racism by being rascist” is so straightforward, I don’t understand how Progressives dont get it other than their choosing to ignore the simple logic of it (like most of their positions).
Wow, local media had to finally say uncle and give out identification of the 2 shooters who killed guy on Milwaukie st 2 wks ago. Cant hide their names 4 this crime huh? Amazing.
Wow, local media had to finally say uncle and give out identification of the 2 shooters who killed guy on Milwaukee st 2 wks ago. Amazing.