With support from less than fifty percent of likely voters, and only ten percent awareness among the electorate, Ward Connerly's latest initiative addressing "Classification by Race, Ethnicity and National Origin" initiative is off to a sputtering start.

Despite the fact that Connerly's "Classification by Race, Ethnicity, Color or National Origin Initiative" was deliberately bumped by the author from the 2002 ballot to the March, 2004 ballot due to lack of support, the measure has still not generated widespread support. By contrast, early polling behind Proposition 209 showed the public supporting the Proposition by a 78% margin (Harris Poll, April 1995).

"The measure was purposefully and cynically crafted to attract support on the surface, while hiding its true affects, and it still has attracted less than 50% support," said Abdi Soltani, Executive Director of Californians for Justice. "Once voters are educated about the real impacts on real lives, the initiative will lose on its merits. Californians just won't buy more of Connerly's deceptive tactics."

In fact, a growing list of influential groups and organizations are lining up to oppose the measure because of its extremely negative impacts on public health, public education and public safety, including Kaiser Permanente, the California Medical Association, the Public Health Institute, the American Public Health Association, the California Academy of Family Physicians, the California Teachers Association, the California Faculty Association, California School Superintendent Jack O'Connell, and the San Francisco Board of Education, among many others.

The measure, which would ban the gathering, analysis and application of racial and ethnic data in state programs, would have adverse consequences for all Californians. From the treatment and prevention of illnesses and diseases that strike people of certain ethnicities significantly more than others, to creating a level playing field at public schools in all neighborhoods, and the prosecution of those who commit hate crimes, this measure would have serious impacts on the delivery of public services.

While touting his effort as the creation of a "color blind society," Connerly's Ban on Information would instead allow and even encourage institutional racism and discrimination without threat of penalty or consequence.