Friend,
In 3 decisions spearheaded by its most fringe members, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) took aim this week at basic human rights for all Americans:
1. In a 6-3 ruling, the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action efforts in higher education as violating the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause and the Civil Rights Act. This was a long-term goal of the Far Right and reversed decades of precedent that affirmed diversity in education as a common and compelling American goal, benefitting us all.
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“With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces ‘colorblindness for all’ by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life.” -Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissenting opinion. |
2. In another 6-3 ruling, the Court ruled that businesses may discriminate against same-sex couples by “weaponizing” and improperly relying on the First Amendment. This case is the latest step in the Far Right’s effort to undermine equality by giving themselves a constitutional right to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people, and perhaps others as well. Today’s decision is an enormous step back: it provides numerous businesses with a license to discriminate against anyone in the LGBTQ community.
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“Today is a sad day in American constitutional law and in the lives of LGBT people. The Supreme Court of the United States declares that a particular kind of business, though open to the public, has a constitutional right to refuse to serve members of a protected class. The Court does so for the first time in its history.” -Justice Sonia Sotomayor, dissenting opinion. |
3. Finally, the Court struck down student loan relief by the Biden Administration for over 40 million Americans.
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“In every respect, the Court today exceeds its proper, limited role in our Nation’s governance.” -Justice Elena Kagan, dissenting opinion. |
While we may all need to take a moment to grieve, rage, and feel the heartfelt disappointment, People For is fighting back every day to ensure we have a just and fair court system:
1. Our team is urging the Biden administration to nominate, and the Senate to confirm, judges to open seats across the Federal system. In fact, to date, President Biden, with People For’s active support, has appointed 136 federal judges-the most diverse cohort ever-two thirds of them people of color and more than 40% women of color.
2. We are mobilizing our members to hold SCOTUS to account—we’ve delivered over 14,000 petitions calling for the Department of Justice to investigate Justice Clarence Thomas and continue to call for accountability.
3. We continue to make our case on these issues via media appearances, blog posts, and by leading coalitions of like-minded partners all calling for true justice at the courts!
But we can’t do all this without you—and there are 3 things you can do today to ensure we can continue to fight back against an increasingly radical SCOTUS:
1. Read our most recent blog posts about the impacts of the decisions: understanding the key issues involved and how to talk about them is key to addressing misinformation.
2. Sign our petition urging for the swift confirmation of fair-minded judicial nominees to fill the lower court vacancies!
3. Support our work: with YOUR help, we can continue to push for accountability, fairness, and justice from those who decide millions of people’s fates and futures every day.
As we gather with friends and family in the next few days to celebrate the incredible experiment in self-determination and opportunity for all we call America, know that we are working every day to ensure this is true for every single person, regardless of race, gender, religion, or class—because this is what our country truly stands for, and what we all stand for together.
Happy upcoming 4th of July holiday,
People For the American Way
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