The horror, the horror: Sombreros were apparently distributed during a tequila party at Bowdoin College (see Weekly Standard item here). Needless to say, the powers of political correctness at the college are in high dudgeon. They are being accused of overreaction — but, really, how can one overreact to this sort of vicious cultural appropriation in what is supposed to be a civilized society in the 21st century? Off with their hats, I mean heads!
Trump and Affirmative Action – One addendum to this National Review Online post on the Michelle Fields matter: The Breitbart reporter was asking Mr. Trump about his stance on affirmative action, and rightly so. Despite his anti-p.c. reputation, Mr. Trump is on record this campaign as saying that he is “fine with affirmative action,” and he criticized Justice Scalia for raising the “mismatch” point at oral argument in the Fisher v. University of Texas case.
Which brings us to the issue of protestors at the Trump rallies, and a nagging question that I have. So you’re listening to a political speech, or attending a classroom lecture, or just eating at a restaurant, and a group of protestors comes in and begins loudly chanting. What do you do, my dear?
First, call the police (or their private-security equivalent). Sure. And, last, when the police have arrived and are escorting the protestors out, you don’t sucker punch one in the head.
Sure.
But what do you do while waiting for the police to arrive? I have to say that just sitting there passively does not seem satisfactory. Shout back if you’re at a rally? Squirt ketchup at them if you’re in a restaurant? Probably there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. But I’m just asking.
Four Hundred Soldiers Get “White Privilege” Briefing – Judicial Watch has obtained documents revealing that, in April 2015, 400 soldiers were subjected to a “white privilege” briefing. This included, for example, a PowerPoint presentation instructing the attendees: “Our society attaches privilege to being white and male and heterosexual . . .” Quite depressing.
Update on CEO Activities So Far This Year – We’re only two-and-a-half months into the new year, and the Center for Equal Opportunity already has plenty to report. So here goes:
We’ve helped write and joined a couple of amicus briefs at the petition stage in Supreme Court cases, one with Pacific Legal Foundation (link here) and one with Southeastern Legal Foundation (here).
For Martin Luther King Day, I had a column on National Review Online about another of our cases (this one before a federal court of appeals).
I also testified last month before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights regarding “environmental justice,” which is the odd notion that the victims of pollution must be racially balanced (!). I’ve spoken in the last few weeks about Fisher v. University of Texas at UT law school, the University of Pittsburgh law school, and the Federalist Society lawyers chapter in Pittsburgh. And I met with congressional staff last week to warn against legislative efforts to try to negate the Supreme Court’s ruling in Shelby County v. Holder by resurrecting Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.
I’ve had plenty of other posts on National Review Online this year; my archives are here. I’ve also been quoted in the press several times on various topics: UT’s plan to pick top leaders draws flak (Mineral Wells Index- 2/4/16); UConn building ‘black-only’ living space to promote scholarship (FOX News- 2/2/16); For Black Men (Inside Higher Ed– 2/2/16); Antonin Scalia’s Death Probably Won’t Affect ‘Fisher,’ but It Could Change the Future of Affirmative Action (Chronicle of Higher Education– 2/14/16); Why Is It Still So Hard for Ex-Cons to Vote in Florida? (Vice– 3/7/16); Saturday Q&A: Sizing up the Supreme Court’s affirmative action case (Trib Live– 2/19/16); Many ex-felons don’t know they can get their right to vote restored (Center for Public Integrity– 2/17/16).
Our chairman, Linda Chavez, appeared last month on two Heritage Foundation panels, one on Obama’s abuse of executive power (she wrote a chapter in Liberty’s Nemesis, the book that was being featured) and one on American identity and patriotic assimilation. And she also appeared on a National Constitution Center panel last month about that book.
Finally, let me also mention that, in 2015 and 2016, the Center for Equal Opportunity has weighed in against numerous state and local governments considering the use of racial preferences in their contracting, including: Illinois, Macon-Bibb County (Georgia), Oregon, East Orange (New Jersey), Richland City (South Carolina), Cincinnati, Miami-Dade County (Florida), Jackson (Mississippi), Memphis, Savannah, and Chattanooga.
