The Supreme Court rules against people at the margins in three cases. These are harsh measures that deal blows to students and LGBT people.
We live in two countries now: one in which basic civil and human rights are recognized and enshrined in law, and another in which ideological extremists can decide how everyone else lives.
First, the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruled that affirmative action programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina violate the Fourteenth Amendment, hindering the ability of public and private institutions to consider race in their admissions policies.
And yet, we just accept that money, power, and privilege are perfectly justifiable forms of affirmative action, while kids growing up poor find the ground is anything but level.
With a single opinion, the justices overturned decades of precedents that upheld race-conscious admissions policies as consistent with the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause and ignored the reality of modern America, where prejudice and racism endure.
Secondly, SCOTUS struck down Biden’s Debt Forgiveness Plan.
In a 6-3 decision, the court’s conservative majority rejected President Biden’s plan to cancel more than $400 billion in student loan debt for millions of borrowers.
And thirdly, SCOTUS backed a web designer opposed to same-sex marriage.
This decision appeared to suggest that the rights of LGBT people, including to same-sex marriage, are on more vulnerable legal footing, particularly when they are at odds with claims of religious freedom.
The Supreme Court needs to start standing up for democracy.
The Court depends on maintaining its perceived legitimacy as an institution acting based on law, not political preferences. But its perceived legitimacy has taken a major hit.
It is difficult to credit any claim that the Court has been guided by any consistently applied theory of how to read the Constitution.
Some of us complain incessantly about our politics and politicians. Others dodge any discussion of politics whatsoever. As a society, we have become less and less adept at rising above our political biases, listening to divergent views and reaching consensus. Worse yet, we seem to be losing faith, not only in our civic institutions and democracy, but in one another. Most of us sense that our capacity to forge a shared vision and solve big problems is slipping away.
The good news is that there is much that we can do as individuals. There are small steps that each of us can take to honor democratic principles.
Think for ourselves – continually seek reliable civic education tools, subject what we read or hear to honest scrutiny and develop our own opinions (instead of parroting the views of others.
Promote good citizenship – monitor and assess the quality of civic education in our schools, support student self-governance programs in churches and civic groups and continually find ways to help our young people learn the principles of citizenship and become great citizens.
Celebrate elections – register to vote, study the candidates and ballot issues, cast a vote for every race in every election.
Volunteer on campaigns and even consider running for office
Take civic action – join civic groups, volunteer for nonprofit and community projects, monitor your local government and serve on local government and nonprofit boards.
Remember Martin Luther King’s quote, “the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice,” is inspiring but we must fight for for justice in our everyday life.