Ehrlich on Washington column, February 15, 1999

MEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr Second Congressional District of Maryland 1 407 York Road, Suite 304 3 1 5 Cannon House Office Building Lutherville, Maryland 21093 Washington, D.C. 20515 EHRLICH ON WASHINGTON Week of February 1 5, 1 999 By Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. MILITARY MERIT I’d like to pose a question to you: Under what conditions do most people, regardless of their respective race, creed or gender succeed? Common sense will tell you that most people succeed and excel in conditions where there are no limitations on their ability-where there are no “glass ceilings” based on artificial barriers— where there are no quotas. The civil rights movement in America as envisioned by Dr. Martin Luther King was one in which all people would receive equal treatment under the law; no quotas or other preferences favoring one group over another. Unfortunately, recent history has seen an explosion in both public and private sector race based programs, most of which overlook and ignore our ultimate goal of a free society in which every American is allowed to go as far as his or her abilities will take them. Preferences and quotas rather than objective measures of real success have led to a new, insidious, and ever growing form of institutional racism and resentment in all races and communities. Fortunately, the various branches of the United States Military continue to show people of all colors these programs do nothing other than keep down the very people they were intended to help. The United States Military provides numerous opportunities for social advancement for