Initiative 1000 isn’t about equal opportunity

On Nov. 7, I was stopped by a signature collector for Initiative 1000. She didn’t explain what I-1000 was, but just told me it’s about “equal pay for women.” I smelled something fishy, so I walked away.

After I did some research, I realize that, in the name of pursuing equal opportunity, I-1000 seeks to repeal initiative I-200, the legislation that truly pursues fair treatment and equal opportunity for every person in our diverse society and outlaws special preferences based on race and gender in college admission, public employment and contracting. The people pushing I-1000 are so dishonest! They flip the words to hide their true agenda: to use race, gender, ethnicity to divide our society and pit people of different races, colors and genders against each other.

“Life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement regardless of social class or circumstances of birth,” said American writer and historian James Truslow Adams who coined the term “American dream” in 1931. Eighty-seven years later, the people behind I-1000 are attempting to take this American dream away from us. Shouldn’t we say no?

Lucy Liu

Kenmore