• COVID-19 Resources
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Promotions
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • May 31, 2025

Milwaukee Courier Weekly Newspaper

"THE NEWSPAPER YOU CAN TRUST SINCE 1964"

  • News
  • Editorials
  • Education
  • Urban Business
  • Health
  • Religion
  • Upcoming Events
  • Classifieds
EXCEPT WHERE INDICATED, THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED ON THIS PAGE ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE MILWAUKEE COURIER

Share:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

The “Colorblind Constitution” Ruse

June 30, 2023

Legislatively Speaking

By Senator Lena C. Taylor

Be Careful What You Ask For

Lena C. Taylor

Reeling from the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision, on the use of affirmative action in college admission decisions, I have thought hard about which angle I wanted to discuss this landmark ruling. As scholars debate whether the 1978 Regents of the University of California v. Bakke case, in which the court determined that affirmative action was lawful, has been overturned or not, the outcomes are real.

I am consumed with the image of The Stand in the Schoolhouse Door. Sixty years ago, Alabama’s newly elected Governor George Wallace delivered his infamous inaugural address. As civil rights activists fought for equal access to education and voting, Wallace said the ignorant part out loud: “Segregation Now, Segregation Tomorrow, Segregation Forever”. Shortly after that speech, Wallace literally stood in the doorway of a University of Alabama auditorium to stop integration in higher education.

Vivian Malone and James Hood were the first Black students to enroll in the college. The Governor of Alabama was forced by federalized guard troops to allow the students entry. In their first year, there were three bombs set off at the University. One bomb exploded a few blocks from Vivian’s dorm.

Blacks in America have been subjected to hate and racist filled declarations since our arrival to this soil. Enslaved Africans were brought to the region we know today as St. Augustine, Florida in 1565. In the 458 years since that time, our lives have been marked by periods of slavery, Black Codes, Jim Crow Laws, and systemic racism. And we have had to fight for our humanity every step of the way.

The U.S. Constitution, which was ratified in 1788, begins with the three words “We The People”. Written by only 4 men, but influenced by a number of “framers”, the constitution did not include the words “black” or “white”. As a result, arguments are made that the constitution was colorblind.

However, the construct and inequity of race is embedded in the very fabric of the American flag we salute. While there are those who have the luxury of embracing a national narrative of bootstraps, character, and individual merit, the rest of us live in the real world. We have been asked to believe that the playing field has been leveled, that all students have the same resources, opportunities, or preparation. That is simply not the case.

In fact, in one of the most offensive responses to news of the court’s decision, presidential nominee Mike Pence said “There may have been a time, 50 years ago, when we needed to affirmatively take steps to correct long-term racial bias in institutions of higher education. But I can tell you as the father of three college graduates, those days are long over.” He actually said “there MAY have been a time” and used probably three of the most resource rich people in the country, as a point of comparison.

Affirmative action, in higher education, lasted for 45 years. Disappointingly, there were other racial or ethnic groups that sided with dismantling affirmative action in higher education. What they failed to realize is that we opened the door for everybody. The gains of historic landmark legislation such as the 1964 Civil Rights Act, 1965 Voting Rights Act, and Brown v. Board of Education helped all other minority and marginalized groups. While the measure wasn’t perfect, it was better than we what we are facing now. As the adage goes, be careful what you ask for.

Share:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Popular Interests In This Article: Affirmative Action, Legislatively Speaking, Lena C. Taylor

Read More - Related Articles

  • Rollbacks, Rallies, and Resilience: Black America’s Battle for Equity in 2024
  • You Don’t Miss Your Water
  • Is Anyone Paying Attention?
  • Real Problems: Real Solutions
  • America’s Game: America’s Shame
Become Our Fan On Facebook
Find Us On Facebook


Follow Us On X
Follow Us On X

Editorials

Lakeshia Myers
Michelle Bryant
Dr. Kweku Akyirefi Amoasi formerly known as Dr. Ramel Smith

Journalists

Karen Stokes

Topics

Health Care & Wellness
Climate Change
Upcoming Events
Obituaries
Milwaukee NAACP

Politicians

David Crowley
Cavalier Johnson
Marcelia Nicholson
Governor Tony Evers
President Joe Biden
Vice President Kamala Harris
Former President Barack Obama
Gwen Moore
Milele A. Coggs
Spencer Coggs

Classifieds

Job Openings
Bid Requests
Req Proposals
Req Quotations
Apts For Rent

Contact Us

Milwaukee Courier
2003 W. Capitol Dr.
Milwaukee, WI 53206
Ph: 414.449.4860
Fax: 414.906.5383

Copyright © 2025 · Courier Communications | View Privacy Policy | Site built and maintained by Farrell Marketing Technology LLC
We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here.