I
LANS G The 'dugan Civil
Right Commission and Department
d federal Judge J u1ian Cook' recent
decision hich upheld the constitution­
ality of aetting ide expenditures to
minority and female-owned b .­
ne
Under Public Act 428, the State of
ichigan 's minority d female-
ned busin by designating mini-
mum goal for pur of good,
and construction. The estab­
a fi -year hedule for increasing
total 'de expenditure. By fJSCal
1984-85, th e penditures le I off to
a minimwn of se en percent for minority
finn and fi percent for femal -owned
Commission Chairpe n Beatrice
B td uApparently Judge Coo
ent beyond our expectations. e
consider hi ruling to be a mandate that
clearly establishe guideline for te
and municipalitie to proceed with set
a . de program .
e fUlly support the concept of
. de for minority and female-owned
busin . In the long run, their growth
will strengthen � higan' economic
mainstream."
Judge Cook, in the opinion, cited
1974 report that sampled 1,665 state
purchasing document , repre nting more
than $21 million in expenditures. The
report indicated only four minority
firms did busine with the state.
Their purcha totaled $155 or 0.0007
percent of 521 million.
Department of Civil Right Director
G
SUIT TO T
,
T A,' GA. - The ational
Anti-KIm et or ill culminate its
1983 campaign and petition drive for
ifter federal ction again racist
violence in ashington, D.C. edne
day, Augu 24 with a t enty-four-hour
, . outside the U.S. Justice Department.
et or le der will· be joined by
victims of Klan terror and violence from
the 1980 and 1960 who will talk about
their ca and hat can and mu be
done to top the rising incidence of
racist nd anti-Semitic violence and
intimidation.
ore than 1,100 ca s of Ian and
random racist and anti-Semitic violence
have b n documented over the I
five year ° Le than 25 of these cases
have been pro cuted by the Justice
Department even though federal statutes,
o n as "the Ku Klux Klan Acts,"
expre y forbid conspiracy to deprive
citizens of their rights through cts of
violence and intimidation motivated by
r cial and religiou bigotry.
In an effort to clarify the role of the
federal government in prosecuting uch
case , Klan victims' attorneys from the
Center for Constitutional Right will
me suit against the Justice Department
in federal district court t 9 a.m. on
Thursday, August 25. The suit ill
specifically the court to interpret
the anti-Klan la to include the right
of citize to live free of violent bigotry.
Th et ork' form tion as initi-
THE CITIZEN E OURAGES rrs READERS
TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINIO S AND VIEWS
Send to: The Citizen, P.O. Box 216, B.H. 149022
AUGUST 24 - 30, 1983 THE CITIZE
Dr. Ronald Quincy said, "Thi i an I
exceptional ruling by Judge Coo that
clear up some t muddied waten,' The
ruling allow te government to correct
a pattern of discrimination, free from
ega} entanglements. Obviou y, if
municipalitie can meet similar statistical
te , then it is mcumbent upon them
to imp ement t· . de program .
"The broader implicatiOns of Judge
Coo ' decision could pply to affirm -,
tive action in employment.. Judge Coo
made it c ear that tistics alone may be
fficient to establi p discrimination.
The decision sets the standards for pro­
gram that ha e been struc do n or have
not yet reached the run effect of cor­
recting discrimin tory patterns."
Dr. Quincy also said the State ha
achieved the objective of Public Act
ated by the Southern Chrisitan leader­
ship Conference a d the Center for
Constitutional Rights after the violence in
Decatur, Alabama in 1979 and has since
grown to include more than 65 affiliated
organizations. Among them are the
428 since it enactment in 1981. H
dded, 'J udge Coo ' ruling will alIo
the te to continue meeting the t-
. de standard and pro" ons of
P.A.428."
In 1980, the U:S. Supr Court
ruled constitutional the federal t-
'de program implemented by Congre
to remedy p 'rimination
minority busa tieues
Judge Coo cited protection in the
State's ° de]a for non-minonty
or female-o db' e Under
Section 2 of P.A. 428, if the bidding
do not include a minority or female­
owned busin , th contract co d be
awarded to the 10 e bidder capable
of providing good or rvices.
U TIC
ational Council of Churches, tb
atio al Organization for omen, Jan­
atch, labor unions, and many other ,
The e or can be contacted in
ashington for information at 202-
785-0665 or 2234241.
ATTO
EY A D COU SELO
•
orrl
616/926 71 3
A message from the people
who work for you at Mercy
and Memorial hospitals
AT LA
•
I
•
505 E. Empire Stre t
Benton Harbor, I 49022
a your
osp·tai insurance co e age?
And you are not affected
if you ha e Blue Cro Sup­
plemental Medicare co erage
for persons over 65.
Our hospitals exist to serve the
needs of all patients in the com­
munity, All Blue Cross ubscribers
continue to be welcome at our
hospi als. This is our basic philoso­
phy of service and it remains
unchanged.
On September 1, 1983, Mercy
Hospital in Benton Harbor and
Memorial Hospital in St Joseph
will change their relationships
with Blue Cross/Blue Shield of
Michigan.
We know you may have ques­
tions about how this action affects
you. So we've opened an Insur­
ance Information HOTLINE. Sim­
ply call 983-0999 for answers
to your questions about your
hospital insurance coverage. The
HOTLINE is open Mondays
through Fridays 8 a, m. to noon
and 1-5 p.m.
Our action wiD not affect
patients who have Medicaid, Med­
icare or hospitalization coverage
through any insurer: other than
Blue C Blue Shield.
HOUSE OF FLOWERS
, • TN( SHOP , , c s·,
0fI£N • OA'YS I;lO TO 5 .... O' ELIVERY
AllE IlUNTl G - O"NE.· GIIADUATE
"A �.ICAN FLOII,.L AliT HOOL' ERVICE
R POI ALl OCCA
Call ourJ
HOTU
ranee In/onnation
-983-0999.