TV station KETV7 of Omaha, Neb. did a story on the Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative June 17. A “big story” on “misleading” information from petition-gatherers.

Or, not.

Read the story and watch the video here. At no point does the gatherer say anything false about her cause. And it would be inaccurate to say the initiative would end affirmative action; KETV7 admits the “initiative would permit affirmative action based on economic status and geographic location.”

In a world where opposing sides in the abortion debate spin their causes by labeling each other “anti-choice” or “pro-death,” the Nebraska petitioners’ spiel is pretty reasonable, and certainly not misleading.

“Discrimination” is not a dirty word. This morning, I discriminated against going for a run in favor of lying in bed. At lunch, I discriminated against a burger in favor of a salad (to make up for missing that run). Discrimination is the choice or favoring of one option or person over another, and voters should be able to realize, after a few seconds of rational thought, that affirmative action is exactly that: a choice, often subjective, to favor one over another.

That doesn’t mean a citizen can’t support affirmative action. That doesn’t mean these “misled” Nebraskans have to sign the petition. It does mean they have to decide for themselves, rather than be spoon-fed the dirty phrase “affirmative action,” thereby enabling a knee-jerk reaction so intense their patella fractures their skull.