Bill Clinton: “Dear Mr. President: On Wednesday, as your Administration prepared to file its Supreme Court brief opposing the…”

“Dear Mr. President: On Wednesday, as your Administration prepared to file its Supreme Court brief opposing the University of Michigan's use of affirmative action to achieve diversity in its student body, you reiterated your commitment to increasing the number of minorities on college campuses. I applaud this commitment, but do not believe that replacing traditional affirmative action with ``race neutral'' percent plans will fully accomplish our shared goal of promoting diversity throughout our institutions of higher education. I am especially concerned that such plans necessarily depend on racial segregation in high schools and, further, that a Court decision banning traditional affirmative action could trigger a domino effect undermining our nation's anti-discrimination laws. The Michigan cases are among the most important ever to confront the Court since Brown v. Board of Education.”