Roberts' Record on Civil Rights, Equal Opportunity Deserves More Scrutiny
BlackAmericaWeb.com 08.11.05

Remember the 1980s?

There was cheesy music and strange clothes, but more importantly, it was the time in American politics where the so-called "Reagan revolution" was underway. This was no ordinary revolution. For many leaders of the civil rights movement, who helped to open doors in areas such as housing and at the voting booth, the Reagan revolution was viewed as creating a political and social climate that was hostile to civil rights programs and enforcement.

Based on recent news reports in both the New York Times and the Washington Post, it appears that Judge John Roberts, Bush's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, may have played a leading role in providing the legal arguments to undermine not only the expansion of civil rights, but the enforcement of the Voting Rights Act as well. With the Senate scheduled to take up Roberts' nomination early next month, it's time we take a closer look at his record and views on civil rights and equal opportunity for all.

The Bush administration has tried its best to seal off some crucial records of Judge Roberts, in hopes that the other side of the aisle will just sit idly by and allow this man to waltz into the most important legal office in the land. It is wrong to stonewall Congress at a time the Court hangs in the balance. These records, along with other documents, would shed light on Roberts' views on important matters that may come before the Court. It's time we took a deep look at what we know from the limited information available to the public.

Here's what we have learned thus far:

During the 1980s, while many of us were jamming to Run DMC, Judge Roberts was an assistant to the Attorney General. In this capacity, Roberts wrote memos criticizing the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and Congress' efforts to write new provisions of the Act that would make it easier for people to prove voting rights violations. As reported in the New York Times, Judge Roberts thought at the time that they were trying to create "a quota system for electoral politics." Given the problems African-Americans encountered on Election Day in 2000 and 2004, does Judge Roberts still believe these provisions are unnecessary?

Roberts clearly was never a fan of programs like Affirmative Action, which helped to level the playing field and open new doors of opportunities for women and minorities. In 1981, the US Civil Rights Commission released a report on the effectiveness of Affirmative Action policies and programs. Roberts went out of his way to respond to this report, commenting that requiring "the recruiting of inadequately prepared candidates" had failed miserably. It is imperative that Senators ask Mr. Roberts if he believes these programs are still useful, and, if not, what steps should be taken to level the playing field in the 21st century?

In a letter to senators Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights expressed serious questions regarding Judge Roberts' "commitment to the protection of individual rights, freedoms and legal safeguards." Let's hope the full Senate reads this letter.

The civil rights community is on point in raising questions now before the hearings begin to not only educate the American public on what's at stake, but also to lobby senators to review Judge Roberts' entire public record. The last thing we need is to rubber-stamp another right-wing appointment to the Court without a full and thorough review of the facts.

Perhaps the civil rights community should also call upon ministers and community-based leaders working with the Bush administration, as well as black Republican officials, to review and question Judge Roberts' commitment to equal opportunity. For many of us, civil rights is not a partisan issue.

As my grandfather would tell us growing up in the deep south, we have come a mighty long way since the days of slavery and Jim Crow. And yes, we have come too far to go back to the '80s. As America continues its march toward equality and opportunity for all, let's hope the Supreme Court is on the side of justice for all.

From what we know right now, Judge Roberts could possibly threaten and weaken our nation's commitment to civil rights and voting rights. We must not allow ourselves to go back to the old days and fight these divisive battles once again.