(ConservativeSense.com) – The Supreme Court decided this week to strike down affirmative action policies in universities, which allow schools to consider the racial and ethnic backgrounds of applicants to meet specific diversity quotas. In response to the decision, Democrats are having meltdowns across the board, including television hosts like Al Sharpton.
The MSNBC host on Thursday called the ruling by the Supreme Court a “dagger in our backs,” referring to black American citizens. The court decided that it is unconstitutional to consider race, yet Sharpton said that “given the racial history” of America is the reason “blacks are behind” and not “something in our genes,” race must be considered. He mentioned how reading and writing were forbidden “until 160 years ago” among black people, and 246 years of enslavement.
Sharpton claims the Supreme Court decision throws out “the history of why” affirmative action policies were needed in the first place. Because of the history of racism in the country, Sharpton said “it is unimaginable” to not “consider race.” He also described the court as “a right-wing Trump court,” pointing out that three of the nine members were appointed by the former president.
Not all black political commentators and academics agree with Sharpton’s views, of course. Going as far back as the late 80s, black author and economist Thomas Sowell was already criticizing affirmative action and predicting such policies would be disastrous.
Those who oppose affirmative action argue that by forcing diversity on campuses simply to meet quotas, applicants who are of higher merit and ability are deprived of university spots. And although black and Latino students are more numerous in universities because of these policies, the underlying issue in education isn’t addressed and these students are dropping out disproportionately compared to Asian and white students.
In 2018, author Heather MacDonald published The Diversity Delusion: How Race and Gender Pandering Corrupt the University and Undermine Our Culture, which collects data refuting Sharpton’s position on the matter and supporting what Sowell predicted would happen.
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