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Edward DuBose Page 3
Lucy McBath Page 5
Leon Haley Page 6
Volume 85 • Issue 47
Pearl Cleage Page 11
June 27 - July 3, 2013
Supreme Court Decisions
Local Leaders Express Outrage at Supreme Court Voting Rights Action By ADW Staff
Civil Rights Groups Laud Supreme Court Decision on Affirmative Action Compiled by ADW Staff
In a 7-1 decision that was labeled by many a punt or a sidestep, the Supreme Court on Monday sent the case Fisher v. University of Texas back to the Fifth Circuit Court for tougher scrutiny and more careful review. The court, in essence, held intact the race-based admissions policies of the university and others like it, but made it more difficult for institutions to use such policies. The case’s resolution was largely applauded, with the NAACP, ACLU, National Action Network and numerous other civil and human rights organizations celebrating the decision of the Court. “Today’s near-unanimous decision leaves intact the important principle that universities have a compelling interest in a diverse student body, and that race can be one factor among many that universities consider in a carefully crafted admissions program,” said Dennis Parker, director of the ACLU’s Racial Justice Program. “We believe that the University of Texas has made a strong showing that its admissions plan was necessary to achieve meaningful diversity, and that it can and should be upheld under the standard that the Supreme Court announced today.” The ACLU, like many other groups, filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to uphold the Texas plan. Taking their support for the university one step further, the NAACP staged gatherings and rallies outside the Supreme Court while the case was argued in October. Representatives from the organization including President Benjamin Todd Jealous and Chairwoman Roslyn M. Brock issued statements proclaiming their satisfaction with the final outcome.
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“This is a critical decision toward ensuring equal opportunity in education,” said Brock. “It is in our nation’s best interest to grant a fair chance to people with various backgrounds and ethnicities. In today’s global economy, all Americans will benefit from a diverse and inclusive environment in higher education.” The organization’s general counsel Kim Keenan praised the impact of the ruling as well. “The NAACP applauds the Court’s preservation of the Grutter standard permitting universities to consider racial and ethnic diversity as one factor among many in a carefully crafted admissions policy,” stated Kim Keenan, NAACP General Counsel. “Given that University of Texas’ policy can be used to admit White students for purposes of diversity, we are confident that Fifth Circuit will uphold the policy. Diversity is an opportunity for all students to obtain an education that will prepare them to interact and compete with anyone, anywhere in the world.” The University of Texas also weighed in, saying it was encouraged by the decision. “We remain committed to assembling a student body at The University of Texas at Austin that provides the educational benefits of diversity on campus while respecting the rights of all students and acting within the constitutional framework established by the court,” said school President Bill Powers. Representatives from the Obama administration agreed, continued on page 5
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Reactions from Democrats in Georgia ranged from crestfallen to enraged in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act Tuesday. Democrats from around the state, including Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Rep. John Lewis and Party Interim Chairwoman Nikema Williams, decried the 5-4 ruling in Shelby County v. Holder as a serious blow to voting rights and equity around the nation. The Court struck down a portion of the Act that will effectively end the practice in which some states with a history of racial discrimination must receive clearance from the federal government before changing voting laws. The change will allow such states to redraw districts without any further oversight from the federal government. The decision comes in the wake of mass claims of voter disenfranchisement from states including Florida, Georgia, Virginia and Ohio. Many said the decision could be disastrous. “The Supreme Court decision in Shelby County vs. Holder is stunningly disappointing and ignores the clear intent of the United States Congress, which has enacted and repeatedly reauthorized the Voting Rights Act since 1965 by wide bipartisan majorities, reflecting the undeniable will of the people that each vote be counted regardless of whether it is cast by an ethnic minority,” said Reed in a statement. Reed’s disappointment followed the tone of many in the Democratic Party as well as organizations like the NAACP, which earlier in the day released statements from top officials declaring their outrage over the verdict. “This decision is outrageous,” said NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous. “The Court’s majority put politics over decades of precedent and the rights of voters.” Lewis, a longtime voting rights advocate, joined the dissent. He called the ruling “a dagger into the heart of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most effective pieces of legislation Congress has passed in the last 50 years.” “I disagree with the court that the history of discrimination is somehow irrelevant today,” said Lewis. “The record clearly demonstrates numerous attempts to impede voting rights still exist, and it does not matter that those attempts are not as “pervasive, widespread or rampant” as they were continued on page 5
Supreme Court Votes 5 to 4 to Strike Defense of Marriage Act A divided Supreme Court gave a major boost to gay and lesbian rights on Wednesday, striking down a key section of a federal law that denied federal benefits to legally married same-sex couples. The justices declared unconstitutional part of the 17-year-old Defense of Marriage Act, a law that has denied federal benefits to married gays and lesbians in a dozen states, from Maine to Washington, and the District of Columbia.