Marc H. Morial: Civil rights would suffer under Alito

[question everything]

The Daily Breeze

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Civil rights would suffer under Alito

Samuel Alito was one of President Reagan's eager warriors in the fight against affirmative action and civil rights. His appointment to the Supreme Court would signal a reversal of 40 years of progress.
By Marc H. Morial
Copley News Service

Should a judge with a long, clear and consistent record of ruling against discrimination victims be given an opportunity to have the last word on civil rights laws that impact the entire nation? Should a judge who boasted of membership in an anti-affirmative action group and compares affirmative action to slavery be given the deciding vote that determines whether affirmative action stays or goes?

These are some of the many questions raised by the National Urban League's careful and thorough analysis of the record of Judge Samuel Alito, President Bush's nominee to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the U.S. Supreme Court. The answers led the National Urban League to unequivocally oppose the nomination.

The National Urban League arrived at this decision after a careful and exhaustive review of Judge Alito's record, judicial philosophy and professional qualifications. Our examination reveals that, throughout his career, Judge Alito has demonstrated insensitivity to the fundamental principles of civil rights and consistently interpreted the Constitution and laws in a manner that undermines equality of opportunity and social justice.

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Not once, in 15 years, has Judge Alito written a majority opinion in favor of a black American alleging discrimination. He has demonstrated an unwavering adherence to a rigid ideology but seems to lack any understanding of how discrimination impacts real people and why civil rights remedies have been and remain necessary.

(snip)


We urge the Senate not to turn its back on the black American community on this important vote. Eloquent speeches proclaiming a commitment to civil rights mean little when followed by a "yes" vote that rewards yet another anti-civil rights judge a lifetime appointment where they will do substantial and possibly irreparable damage to those very same rights. The United States Senate must uphold the Constitution and protect the people the Senate serves by rejecting this nomination and demanding the appointment of judges who will respect, not undermine, our civil rights.

The National Urban League's comprehensive report on the nomination of Judge Alito can be found at: www.nul.org/publications.



Marc H. Morial, president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League, wrote this column for Copley News Service.


Find this article at:
http://www.dailybreeze.com/opinion/articles/2210292.html

[mom cat]

1. This is exactly why we must keep up the fight! We just got another week

to make our case.

[AX10]

2. We have one more week to fight him.

[Brewman_Jax]

3. Agreed

Anyone who has a convenient "loss of memory" of joining an alumni organization, and bragging about it, doesn't have the brains to be on the Supreme Court, either.