(Ward) Connerly Criticized for Klan Comments ("God bless them")

[Newsjock]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/11/04/politics/p182117S32.DTL

DETROIT, (AP) -- Opponents are criticizing a key backer of a ballot initiative to end public affirmative action programs in Michigan after he made comments that appeared to welcome the Ku Klux Klan's support.

Ward Connerly, a California businessman who is pushing the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative and helped to get similar measures passed elsewhere, was quoted in a documentary examining affirmative action. The measure on Tuesday's ballot would ban the use of race and gender preferences in state government and university admissions.

In a video posted to the Web site YouTube.com, Connerly is shown saying, "If the Ku Klux Klan thinks that equality is right, God bless them. Thank them for finally reaching the point where logic and reason are being applied instead of hate."