Civil Rights - Is It For Groups or Individuals?
The attempt to get a limited ban on affirmative action in Michigan just got good news today. The Michigan Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal by a group called By Any Means Necessary to stop the vote.
BAMN insists that people were tricked into signing the petitions for a public referendum. If this is the case then they have nothing to worry about. All they have to do is present their case to the people of Michigan and they will win - if they are right about the majority of Michiganders supporting affirmative action. The problem is, and they will never admit it, is that the majority of people in this state are opposed to affirmative action. I am concerned about any group that tries to prevent any issue from being decided in the voting booth.
The core of this is the nature of civil rights. I believe that all rights and all laws are personal and that they should apply to individuals, not groups. If a qualified person is passed over for a less qualified person, and they can prove it, then they have a case.
It is a principle in America that the burden of proof lies with the accuser. This must be the case in civil rights cases as well. The proof that discrimination took place at the individual level must be documented and provable in the specific case being considered. A blanket ruling would only lead to new injustices and replacing one injustice with another is not progress.
The group spearheading the initiative is at this site. It is worth spending some time there.
BAMN insists that people were tricked into signing the petitions for a public referendum. If this is the case then they have nothing to worry about. All they have to do is present their case to the people of Michigan and they will win - if they are right about the majority of Michiganders supporting affirmative action. The problem is, and they will never admit it, is that the majority of people in this state are opposed to affirmative action. I am concerned about any group that tries to prevent any issue from being decided in the voting booth.
The core of this is the nature of civil rights. I believe that all rights and all laws are personal and that they should apply to individuals, not groups. If a qualified person is passed over for a less qualified person, and they can prove it, then they have a case.
It is a principle in America that the burden of proof lies with the accuser. This must be the case in civil rights cases as well. The proof that discrimination took place at the individual level must be documented and provable in the specific case being considered. A blanket ruling would only lead to new injustices and replacing one injustice with another is not progress.
The group spearheading the initiative is at this site. It is worth spending some time there.
posted by shoprat at 9:37 PM
5 Comments:
Good news indeed.... if you don't allow the employers to hire and advance people based on ability, you'll end up like France.
Shoprat (as I said to you just now on my blog - I hate calling you that because your blog is so decent - unlike mine - and you're such a gentleman) all i can add is: Amen. That was so well-written.
There is no shame in being a shoprat. It is honest work and I work alongside some of the best people in the world, both management and hourly.
You're used to the word. To us civilians the rat part sounds rude but I'll get used to it.
I like the name shoprat. I like the fact that others recognize that you are a gentleman and that you are decent. I will also add intelligent to the description. I love to read what you write. Thanks SR.
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