Hundreds Protest Prop. 16 In Tri-Valley

TRI-VALLEY, CA — About 370 cars participated in a car rally this weekend to protest Proposition 16, a ballot initiative slated for November's ballot.

Prop. 16 would repeal an amendment to the California constitution, which prevents the state from discriminating against and granting preferential treatment based on race, gender, sex, skin color, ethnicity or nationality. The amendment came after California voters passed Proposition 209 in 1996 and banned affirmative action in state matters, which include contracts and University of California admissions, according to Ballotpedia.

Protesters on Saturday drove through Dublin and Pleasanton as part of their demonstration. The event was organized by the Tri-Valley Asian Association and began at the Dolores Bengston Aquatic Center.

There, Hugh Bussell, who chairs the Alameda County Republican Party Central Committee, spoke of how Prop. 209 boosted graduation rates for students of color. A Duke University study in 2011 concluded that this phenomenon was "consistent with the argument that affirmative action bans result in better matching of students to colleges."

"Match the students with what their abilities," Bussell said. "That's really what is fair."

Critics of Prop. 16 also argue that it could lead to more discrimination against certain groups.

While the graduation rates for students of color at UCs increased after the passage of Prop. 209, supporters of Prop. 16 note that fewer students of color have been admitted to UCs. Supporters of Prop. 16 also argue that groups including people of color and women have not been given the same opportunities, and the state should be able to take those factors into account when hiring or admitting students.

Read the text of Prop. 16 here.