Category Archive

Here are a few thoughts on the President’s impromptu remarks on Friday, in which he helpfully (?) offered his thoughts on African Americans’ response to the verdict in the George Zimmerman trial. 1. You can’t claim to be having a serious discussion about race, crime, and African American young men without mentioning — not one word — that 72 percent of African Americans now are born out of wedlock. That’s where the “soul searching” he calls for is most needed, not on introspection about “bias.”  Growing up in a home without a father ties in with any social pathology you care …

I am not someone who has followed State of Florida v. George Zimmerman with rapt, 24/7 attention, or even 8/5 attention.  But it was easy for me to predict to a friend who asked me last Friday that there would be an acquittal.  How could a jury possibly find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, after all, when the state’s own witnesses seemed to help the defendant’s case as much as the prosecution’s? The saga had many villains and few heroes.  The foremost villains were the media — for more on that, see Linda Chavez’s pre-verdict column here – and the state …

The Center for Equal Opportunity had urged the Court to grant review in this Mt. Holly v. Mt. Holly Gardens Citizens in Action, as discussed here, and we’re glad that the Court did so this week.  It presents the issue — never resolved by the Court — whether a “disparate impact” cause of action may be filed under the Fair Housing Act.  Such a cause of action alleges “discrimination” based on statistical imbalances, and notwithstanding the fact that the challenged practice is nondiscriminatory by its terms, in its intent, and in its application.  So, for example, the refusal to rent to …

The Supreme Court is scheduled to consider at conference this Thursday whether to grant review in Township of Mt. Holly v. Mt. Holly Gardens Citizens in Action, a case presenting the question whether “disparate impact” causes of action (which don’t allege actual discrimination but only statistical imbalances) may be brought under the Fair Housing Act. The Court has recognized but never decided this important issue; indeed, the Court had granted review in another case presenting it just last term, so the odds are good that review will be granted here, too.  The Center for Equal Opportunity successfully urged the Court …

The New York Times is pulling out all the stops in its efforts to ensure that the Supreme Court doesn’t ban racial and ethnic preferences in university admissions.  But the Center for Equal Opportunity has answered it, here and here, and as discussed in this week’s email. Last week it ran a front-page, above-the-fold article titled ”Affirmative Action Ruling Near, Blacks’ Progress Remains Slow.” As the title suggests, the message of the story is: It would be very bad if the Supreme Court were to rule in Fisher v. University of Texas against the use of racial preferences in student admissions, because African Americans remain underrepresented in …

Here’s an excerpt from a recent column I wrote (you can read the whole thing here) and that I thought you might enjoy: Race relations in the United States are good, have never been better, and in all likelihood their future is even brighter. And the key for continued progress is not complicated: don’t discriminate, and don’t screw up. Related posts: Did Juan Williams libel LU’s Hans Bader? TESTIMONY OF ROGER CLEGG, PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL, CENTER FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY BEFORE THE U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS REGARDING THE PROPOSED EMPLOYMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT Roger Clegg testifies regarding H.R. 40 Suggested …

As the Supreme Court prepares its opinion in Fisher v. University of Texas (in which that school’s use of racial and ethnic admissions preferences is challenged), and as our bien pensants continue as always to agonize about the state of race relations in the United States (which are actually quite good, by the way), a few thoughts. Related posts: Roger Clegg testifies regarding H.R. 40 TESTIMONY OF ROGER CLEGG, PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL, CENTER FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY BEFORE THE U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS REGARDING THE PROPOSED EMPLOYMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT Keeping skin color and sex out of government contracting California …

Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act imposes burdens on some states and not others whenever they want to change practices or procedures related to voting.  I explain why Section 5 is bad policy, outdated, unconstitutional, and ought to be struck down by the Supreme Court here and here.  Related posts: TESTIMONY OF ROGER CLEGG, PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL, CENTER FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY BEFORE THE U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS REGARDING THE PROPOSED EMPLOYMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT Suggested Reading on Civil Rights Issues Politicized external review panels as unguided “diversity” missiles: California university administrators remain ultra-slow learners We Need More Bills …

Last week I sent to you a special email about President Obama’s disturbing nomination of Thomas Perez to head the Department of Labor.  (The committee vote on that nomination will be this week, by the way.)  I’d like to lead off this week’s email by flagging another bad nominee. Related posts: Two Other Points on Felon Voting Politicized external review panels as unguided “diversity” missiles: California university administrators remain ultra-slow learners TESTIMONY OF ROGER CLEGG, PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL, CENTER FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY BEFORE THE U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS REGARDING THE PROPOSED EMPLOYMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT Felons and the Vote