Resegregation Now

[cal04]

The Supreme Court ruled 53 years ago in Brown v. Board of Education that segregated education is inherently unequal, and it ordered the nation’s schools to integrate. Today, the court switched sides and told two cities that they cannot take modest steps to bring public school students of different races together. It was a sad day for the court and for the ideal of racial equality.

Since 1954, the Supreme Court has been the nation’s driving force for integration. Its orders required segregated buses and public buildings, parks and playgrounds to open up to all Americans. It wasn’t always easy: governors, senators and angry mobs talked of massive resistance. But the court never wavered, and in many of the most important cases it spoke unanimously.

Today, the court’s radical new majority turned its back on that proud tradition in a 5-4 ruling, written by Chief Justice John Roberts. It has been some time since the court, which has grown more conservative by the year, did much to compel local governments to promote racial integration. But now it is moving in reverse, broadly ordering the public schools to become more segregated.

Justice Anthony Kennedy, who provided the majority’s fifth vote, reined in the ruling somewhat by signing only part of the majority opinion and writing separately to underscore that some limited programs that take race into account are still acceptable. But it is unclear how much room his analysis will leave, in practice, for school districts to promote integration. His unwillingness to uphold Seattle’s and Louisville’s relatively modest plans is certainly a discouraging sign.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/29/opinion/29fri1.html

[whistle]

1. Wow,a 180 degree turn back to segregation, race seperation

...and division in the country. Fascism on the march!

[kenny blankenship]

3. Roe v. Wade's time is about up, too.

They have a 5-4 majority now, they can't tell their base "we are sorry, we'd like to end abortion, but we just can't do it."

As they lose the Congress and soon the White House, the Obscene Court is going to be their poisoned dagger with which they will block absolutely essential changes and reverse the liberal reforms of the 20th century like Brown and Roe.
It's coming, the recent spate of horrible reactionary decisions are the opening trumpet blast. And it will go on and on and on for years and decades, if we let it.

[stevenleser]

8. Not necessarily - There is a remedy for that...

The President can pack the court. I think people are sick enough of the Reich wing that they might actually go for it.

[3waygeek]

11. FDR tried that -- it didn't work then

and probably wouldn't work now. If we had a Congress with backbone, we might be able to impeach Robers & Alito based on perjured testimony during their confirmation hearings.

[MadMaddie]

2. The racist in this country got a gift today didn't they....

The Supreme Court with a Black Justice just set this country back 30 years.....A sad day in America....

[emilyg]

5. Indeed.

[whistle]

7. Next year KKK marches in the streets like in the 1920's so the SCOTUS

...has turned the clock back 85 years. So remember this day in our history when you go to McDonald's and see separate seating for whites, blacks and perhaps other races as well.

Anyone who was around in as late as the 1950s and either lived or visited the south remembers water fountains in parks which had signs "Whites Only". High School plays had white students in black-face and minstrel costumes with parents cheering and laughing. Segregation was a symptom of something much more deeply rooted and much uglier, racial hatred that saw fire bombings, lynchings, cross burnings and official brutality by law enforcement persons.

These are just a few of my memories as a young person growing up around that sort of behavior and puzzled and confused over why such things were happening. It will be a shame to expose an entire generation of young people to this sort of bigotry again. It is allowed when those in power wish to divide, fragment, conquer and enslave everyone. Just create scapegoats and bigotry and everyone becomes controllable constitution or no constitution.

[b}That is what five SCOTUS justices have allowed to once again in America.

[MadMaddie]

9. Agreed....and the Sheeple just stood by and let it happen...

I am only 41 and as a black American I know I am very fortunate to have received the education and opportunities I have in this great country of ours.

Now not only do poor, minority and other disadvantaged children will suffer because of this ruling..

Do the 5 Justices think that the economic disparity between poor districts and rich districts will all of a sudden be fixed.

Unbelievable...Simply stunning...

The US is the laughing stock of the world.....

[whistle]

10. Yes, exactly, that began to change in 1965 when I began college

...and then into the job market in 1970 and when I started my company in 1987 which I ran for the next 16 years. Abilities not race was what determined hiring and merit was what determined davancements. I now work for my daughter and son who took over my company fives years ago and I am proud that legacy continues.

So I say, fuck the reThuglicans, the racists and the RW SCOTUS. We'll just fight the bastards, that's it!

[marmar]

4. This court is turning out to be every bit the nightmare we expected....

Remember all the, "Oh, but they'll moderate when they get onto the court" assertions about Roberts and Alito? .....
So far they've endorsed theocracy, unchecked corporatism, segregation and torture. If this is moderate, I'd hate to see what they call right-wing!!! :scared:

[bleedingheart]

6. the folks in the Kennebunkport compound are laughing and toasting to this

and it is all disgusting...

this is truly a sad day...