The following article was published by the People’s Tribune on July 24, 2023.
Assaults on Democracy Will Not Stand!
Our battles for a caring society that provides for us all are intensifying given the myriad of new laws handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court, Congress, and some states—laws and rulings that seek to criminalize us and strip us of our most basic constitutional and human rights. This assault on democracy in overturning affirmative action in colleges intends to do just that. It will not stand!
Below are excerpts from social media posts by two Black women about the Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action that dispels some of the lies and myths about affirmative action, and also about the effect a lack of diversity will have on us all.
“The Supreme Court overturned affirmative action in college admissions, which essentially allowed colleges to consider race during the admissions process. It did not mean admission because of race. It meant schools reached out to high-achieving students from Black, Brown, and low-income areas that already exceed the criteria for entry. . .We are talking about students that have above 4.0 GPAs and near-perfect test scores. No one’s getting into college because they’re Black or Latino. Everyone has grades and test scores. Everyone still has to meet the same admission criteria . . .” Jacalyn Wetzel
“I’m a Black lawyer. Fewer than 5% of lawyers in this country are Black. White men are overwhelmingly represented as the people who make the laws that govern your rights, your liberty, and your lives. And white women, I want you to pay attention because you were actually the group that most benefited by affirmative action. Last year [the Court] took away your right to bodily autonomy too. You are affected too, and these white male lawmakers want you to be as uneducated, barefoot, and pregnant as the Black and Brown women next to you. Lack of diversity hurts all of us and the Supreme Court’s decision today will only hurt us more.”
‑ From a Tik Tok by Elizabeth Booker Houston @bookersquared
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