THE OFFICIAL WEB SITE OF THE MADISON TIMES WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

“We are the potential tone setters of the world, and we can do anything we want to do.”

— Betty Franklin-Hammonds

August 4, 1995

BY THE WAY

EDITORIAL PAGE

Happy Birthday EOC

On December 12, 1963, then Madison Mayor Henry Reynolds cast the deciding vote to pass Section 3.23 of the Madison General Ordinances that prohibited discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and city facilities based on race, creed, color, and national origin or ancestry. Nine citizen volunteers were given the charge as the Equal Opportunities Commission to enforce the ordinance.

While some may have thought that just a few complaints would come forth, it soon became evident through the volume of complaints that did arise that a professional staff would be needed. In May 1968, Reverend James C. Wright was hired as EOC's first executive director.

Madison proved itself to be a national leader in the cause of civil and human rights back then. The major federal civil rights act was still months away from being passed. The Voting Rights Act would not be passed until 1965. The Federal Fair Housing Act was passed in 1968. Madison should be proud.

Since 1963, an additional 14 protected classes have been added. While there are those who live and work outside the city limits who sometimes ridicule Madison as being an island surrounded by reality, the reality today is that the Madison metropolitan area is booming economically while other communities are staggering out of the recession. There are many people who want to live in Madison. There are many who want to live in that reality.

While it isn't solely responsible for this phenomenon, the EOC is very deserving of some of the credit. The EOC and the ordinances it enforces serve as a beacon to the rest of the world that if you are creative, if you are industrious, if you desire opportunity, you can find it in Madison no matter what your "status" is. It doesn't matter what your sexual orientation, color, or gender is. In Madison, you are free to pursue life, liberty and happiness. Madison has laid the foundation to be a cosmopolitan city.

EOC has come under a lot of political fire over the years from people in many areas of life who really don't understand the underlying principles of the EOC. It is grounded in the notion of due process and the fundamentals of law. There are some who feel it too readily hands out probable cause decisions that discrimination has occurred although only a handful of probable cause decisions are handed out each year. There are others who feel it lets too many racists and discriminators off the hook. While there are more cases of discrimination than EOC rules on each year, it can only take it as far as the burden of proof allows it. No matter what a person may feel and experience, it still has to be proven with facts and evidence.

In addition to its enforcement role, EOC has served as the lightning rod of race relations in Madison. Firestorms have arisen when it has taken on issues such as racial profiling. And while it has taken the heat and paid the price in the face of denial - "It can't be happening in Madison" heard in 1963 and 2003 - most of the time, it has been on the mark.

It's hard to maintain a political mandate for an institution like EOC. It makes many people upset at some point because it's doing its job or it makes a whole other host of people upset because it isn't doing its job. In recent years, EOC's current executive director, Dr. Anthony Brown, has instituted community outreach initiatives that have helped the general populace become more familiar with EOC and to take a positive, proactive role in forging positive race relations. While we must never forget the central role of EOC to enforce the Madison's laws, this additional role has borne much fruit. Dr. Brown and the EOC staff should be commended for this effort.

While the group of citizens who pushed for the establishment of EOC in 1963 faced a lot of resistance, it also benefited from being a part of a national civil rights movement. While the issues that people of color and other protected classes face are just as pervasive now, our society seems to want to sweep the whole problem under the rug. The current Equal Opportunities Commission and staff are forced to operate in an increasingly hostile climate with little political mandate. It needs the support of everyone who believes in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It deserves the support of everyone who wants to see Madison continue to be a national leader. It deserves the support of everyone who wants Madison to continue to be strong and prosper. We need you EOC, even when we don't realize it.