On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) killed affirmative action with a pair of rulings addressing Harvard's admission policies and those out of the University of North Carolina. As Spencer covered, President Joe Biden gave remarks hours after the decisions were handed down, in which he stated, "I strongly, strongly disagree with the Court's decision." Upon being asked if he thought SCOTUS was a "rogue Court," Biden answered it was "not a normal Court."
The president wasn't the only top Democrat with a hysterical reaction. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) had one on Thursday.
"The Supreme Court ruling has put a giant roadblock in our country's march toward racial justice," his statement lamented. "The consequences of this decision will be felt immediately and across the country, as students of color will face an admission cycle next year with fewer opportunities to attend the same colleges and universities than their parents and older siblings," the statement added, as if "opportunities" for applicants solely depend on race.
The statement also complains that the ruling "exacerbated" the connection between "negative consequences" and "the historic harms of exclusion and discrimination in education and society."
The Supreme Court's ruling put a giant roadblock in America’s march toward racial justice.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) June 29, 2023
The consequences will be felt immediately as students of color will face an admission cycle next year with fewer opportunities.
These negative consequences could continue for generations. pic.twitter.com/4ITfj9nry9
"The Court's misguided decision reminds us how far we still have to go to ensure that all Americans are treated equally," Schumer went on to claim, again, placing far too much emphasis on affirmative action. Speaking of equality, the Court actually found that the admissions policies violate the 14th Amendment.
"Nevertheless, we will not be daunted or deterred by this decision and we reaffirm our commitment to fighting for equal educational opportunities for all," Schumer chillingly concluded.
He even tweeted it again for good measure, highlighting a different part of the statement regarding the warning that Democrats nevertheless plan to do more.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) came out with an even stronger statement, which was posted to his leadership website.
"The American people support affirmative action as a crucial part of ensuring racial justice and equity in higher education," his statement claimed, even though The New York Times on Thursday acknowledged that half of Americans do not support affirmative action, citing a Pew Research poll from earlier this month. "Diversity on a college campus benefits every American and prepares all students for an increasingly diverse society and global economy. It's also about leveling the playing field for all Americans," Jeffries' statement added.
"Study after study has shown that diverse student bodies produce more successful academic institutions and societal outcomes," Jeffries wrote, though his statement got even more partisan and political from there. "Yet extremists on the Supreme Court are once again more interested in jamming their right-wing ideology down the throats of the American people," he complained, as Democrats are prone to do whenever the Court hands down a decision they don't like.
"The court has turned a blind eye to systemic racism and has failed to uphold our nation's values of diversity, equity and inclusion," Jeffries concluded, inevitably turning to cry about "systemic racism." Ironically enough, his closing paragraph made an argument against affirmative action. "All students deserve a fair shot at going to college, regardless of their income, home town or their racial and ethnic background. House Democrats will continue to fight for racial justice and equal opportunity for every student," Jeffries stated.
Jeffries also tweeted his outrage about the Court, and not only concerning the affirmative action cases. He also complained about how "[r]ight-wing ideologues on the Supreme Court gutted reproductive freedom last year," referring to the Dobbs v. Jackson case from last June, which overturned Roe v. Wade.
Right-wing ideologues on the Supreme Court gutted reproductive freedom last year.
— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) June 29, 2023
The very same extremists just obliterated consideration of racial diversity in college admissions.
They clearly want to turn back the clock.
We will NEVER let that happen.
We will never surrender.#SCOTUS
— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) June 30, 2023
Another tweet from his political account referenced how the Court's "right-wing majority apparently believes we live in a post-racial America," before focusing on acts of violence against black people and using various hashtags to equate the subjects with the affirmative action ruling.
The Supreme Court’s right-wing majority apparently believes we live in a post-racial America.
— Hakeem Jeffries (@hakeemjeffries) June 29, 2023
We were told the same thing in 2008.
How did that prediction work out?#DonaldTrump #Charlottesville #MotherEmanuel #GeorgeFloyd #Buffalo
The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) put out a similarly visceral reaction on its website and Twitter.
Not only did the statement claim that the 14th Amendment protected "race-based admission policies," but it got more absurd from there. "By delivering a decision on affirmative action so radical as to deny young people seeking an education equal opportunity in our education system, the Supreme Court has thrown into question its own legitimacy," it went on to claim. If there's anything that ought to be "thrown into question," it's whether or not such a caucus should even be taken seriously.
The statement closed by calling to mind how the CBC "is proud to stand alongside our colleagues of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC)," so as "to fight for equal opportunity in admissions and to push back strongly against attempts to use this as a cultural wedge issue to pit communities of color against one another because our nation's diversity is our greatest strength."
Again, the statement inadvertently highlights why affirmative action can be the wrong way to go.
CBC statement on the Supreme Court’s decision on Affirmative Action. https://t.co/hDswAwS9Iv
— The Black Caucus (@TheBlackCaucus) June 29, 2023
In addition to retweeting statements from many of its members and the one above, the CBC retweeted a statement from the CAPAC. It's particularly curious that a statement of condemnation would come from an AAPI group, given that the racially-based admissions policies were found to have harmed Asian students.
CAPAC stands united with @HispanicCaucus and @TheBlackCaucus in condemning the #SCOTUS decision today gutting university's race-conscious admissions processes. We will always #DefendDiversity.
— CAPAC (@CAPAC) June 29, 2023
The Tri-Caucus Chairs @RepJudyChu, @RepBarragan, and @RepHorsford's full statement: pic.twitter.com/S6sczYTVAW
As strongly against the affirmative action decision as the CBC may have been, it's worth pointing out that Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), both black Republicans in Congress, supported the move from the Court to end affirmative action.
I thank God Almighty that America continues to work towards being that more perfect union.
— Tim Scott (@votetimscott) June 29, 2023
The good news in our nation is anyone from anywhere at any time can rise above and beyond their circumstances to live out their American Dream.
Today’s ruling is a massive win against the left’s equity agenda that seeks to achieve “equality” through equal outcomes, not equal access.
— Byron Donalds (@ByronDonalds) June 29, 2023
There was clearly a time when affirmative action was needed to end racial discrimination, but that time is over.
The High Court rightly…
Editor's Note: Through affirmative action, the radical left perpetuated racism and waged war on meritocracy, but the Supreme Court has defended meritocracy and the American Dream.
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