BAMN

BAMN stands for By Any Means Necessary, and its full name is the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration & Immigrant Rights, and Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary. It is a left-wing civil rights activist group that organizes demonstrations and litigation to achieve its aims, and it organizes primarily in colleges and K-12 schools.

Origins of BAMN

BAMN was originally formed in 1995 to oppose the July 20, 1995 decision by Regents of the University of California to ban affirmative action. In 1997, BAMN expanded to Michigan, where it organized student support for the affirmative action policy of the University of Michigan Law School at Ann Arbor (UMLS) as a result of a challenge to that policy via Grutter v. Bollinger. That case was decided in 2003 by the U.S. Supreme Court in favor of permitting some racial admissions criteria- for at least the next 25 years, when all race considerations "should" be made illegal. The majority opinion by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor stated: "Effective participation by members of all racial and ethnic groups in the civic life of our Nation is essential if the dream of one Nation, indivisible, is to be realized."

Activism

BAMN's "Principles" advocate "a national policy of affirmative action," the central theme of most major BAMN campaigns. BAMN's Principle #3 states,"BAMN is committed to making real America's founding declaration that 'all men are created equal.' Real equality of rights and opportunities for women and [minorities] requires active, positive measures, [as well as] a national policy of affirmative action."

BAMN states that it promotes the protection and expansion of civil rights for all under-represented classes throughout the United States, and is especially focused on perceived challenges to minority students via the defense of historic affirmative action standards. BAMN became one of 44 parties in the Supreme Court's Grutter v. Bollinger case concerning Michigan Law School admissions; BAMN's chief strategist was reportedly one of a 'record number' who filed an "amicus" brief in the case. The University of Michigan Law School case was heard at the same time as Gratz v. Bollinger, concerning racial admissions policies in the University of Michigan (U-M) undergraduate school. While the Law School system was allowed to proceed for the period of one generation, the undergraduate school's specific admissions policy were struck down.

Since 1995, BAMN has organized a variety of college campaigns promoting affirmative action and defeat of contrary legislation written to end racial admissions policies. BAMN's campaigns were not successful in the polls over three state initiatives curtailing strict racial quotas in three states: Michigan Prop. 2 'Civil Rights Initiative' (2006), California Prop. 209 (1996) and Washington State Washington Initiative 200 (1998).

In 2008, BAMN met with more success opposing the effort by former University of California Regent Ward Connerly effort to place ballot initiatives on five state ballots to end race-based affirmative action. In spring and summer 2008, BAMN organized press conferences and street education efforts in Arizona, Missouri, and Oklahoma to convince voters from signing petitions to qualify these initiatives for state ballots. Connerly withdrew his petition drives in Missouri and Oklahoma. In Arizona, the effort succeeded at preventing the campaign from gathering the required number of verified signatures. A ballot initiative in Nebraska, the Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative, succeeded at the polls in November 2008. That same day in Colorado, an identical initiative was defeated, Colorado Amendment 46 (2008).

BAMN's major tactics center on extensive college and high school outreach via pamphleting, debate, speakers, film and rallies as well as social events. It has also been accused of using the methods of violence and intimidation. Critics of BAMN tactics state that the group creates 'mob' scenes where democratic processes have become overwhelmed and individuals threatened. On April 1, 2003, BAMN spearheaded the organizing of the 50,000 person March on Washington to Defend Affirmative Action and Save Brown v. Board of Education (1954). A sign from this march was featured in the Smithsonian Museum's 2004 exhibit, "Separate Is Not Equal: Brown v. Board of Education," commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Brown decision.

Conflict with law enforcement

In recent years, some non-violent protests have at times been viewed by some U.S. government organizations to be "terrorism", including BAMN. The American Civil Liberties Union reported that the FBI placed BAMN on a terrorist list, despite "no mention of violent acts." According to the FBI, the group's protests were discussed in a meeting about alleged links to terrorist organizations. In response to the the monitoring of BAMN and other nonviolent groups, the Executive Director of Michigan's ACLU Kary Moss said that the FBI "posed a 'threat to legitimate dissent.'"

Recognition & Awards

• The Drum Major for Justice Award, American Association for Affirmative Action
• "Unsung Hero" Honor, Michigan chapter of National Lawyers Guild (2006) - (In The Struggle, Newsletter of the Detroit & Michigan Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, Vol. 3. No. 3, June 2006, page 5) [PDF link]

External links

• BAMN website
• Text of Grutter v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. 306 (2003) is available from:  · LII

• Text of Gratz v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. 244 (2003) is available from:  · LII

• Power, Politics & Money Web-log by Chetly Zarko, writer on race issues & Treasurer/Media Director for Michigan's Prop.2
• "BAMN Terrorism" Web-log by Chetly Zarko
• C.Zarko on 'BAMN Shenanigans' Web-log by Chetly Zarko
• C.Zarko on Lansing MI Board of Canvassers meeting 14.12.2005 Web-log by Chetly Zarko