By A. Peter Bailey
Coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court’s affirmative action decision in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post would lead their readers to believe this was a monumental decision that reflected some type of brand-new position in this country.
Each of the “big-boy” newspapers headlined their reaction across the top of their June 30 issues. “Justices Gut College Affirmative Action,” shouted The New York Times; “Court Guts College Affirmative Action,” heralded The Wall Street Journal; “Justices Rule Against Affirmative Action in Colleges,” screamed The Washington Post.
Their editorials also presented the decision as though it was something of immense historic importance. The New York Times noted “The Decades-Long Fight to Dismantle Affirmative Action;” The Wall Street Journal praised the court’s decision as “A Landmark for Racial Equality;” The Washington Post insisted that “Affirmative Action Gone. Campus Diversity Need Not Be.”
When reading all of the above one would think that the Supreme Court’s decision was shocking and unexpected. It may have been such for those Blacks and whites who believe that the court, when dealing with white supremacy in this country, has been and still is some kind of objective and neutral branch of the federal government.
Serious Black people and many white people in this country are well aware that the court has always been a defender and promoter of white supremacy.
The only time during this country’s history that the Supreme Court has made any decisions against violent and brutalizing white supremacy was during the Cold War with Russia. The Russians, like most people of European descent, believe in white supremacy. However, they took every opportunity to greatly publicize overt manifestations of white supremacy in the United States. In response to the Russian propaganda, the Supreme Court had to make at least some decisions that would enable the United States to continue to present themselves as the leader of the “Free World” and a place where all people have equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity. That led to all of the Supreme Court’s civil rights decisions since Brown vs. Board in 1954.
Anyone wanting to learn the real deal about the Supreme Court should read articles and books by great Black master teachers such as Brother Malcolm X, Brother Lerone Bennett Jr., Brother Martin Luther King Jr., Brother Harold Cruse, Sister Mary McLeod Bethune, Sister Fannie Lou Hamer, Sister Frances Cress Welsing and Sister C. DeLores Tucker.
