Seamus Hight

Change In The U.S. of A. 

The United States of America has contradicted itself so many times, it’s ridiculous. Every founding principle America started with has been changed, and the Supreme Court has had a defining role. For example, Brown V. BOE. Or, Roe V. Wade. OR, Citizens United V. FEC. Each argued something that, before then, the government had no problem with. And, in every one of those cases, it was the common folk who took it up with the Supreme Court, and won. Part of the beauty of the promise of America and its government, is that ordinary people can change things. In Brown V. Board of Education, for example, it was the parents of Linda Brown. The white children’s school was closer to their home significantly, and they wanted Linda to go there. So, they changed laws on segregation forever. America is as great as it is because it has an opportunity for everyday citizens to change laws and argue their case. 

Brown v. Board of Educ., 347 U.S. 483 (1954) was a breakthrough in the rights of people of color in America. Before May 17, 1954, children were being separated based on their skin tone in schools. The case originated in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. The disposition of the Supreme Court in the case of Brown V. Board of education is that separating children’s education based on race is not constitutional. Not because the school’s were not equal, but because P.O.C. teachers were inherently worse. This decision was, in the long run, great. But the way they started integrating students shows their prejudice. They started with the students. Not the teachers. Showing their racism towards P.O.C. teachers. “It is estimated, for example, that between 1955 and 1957 approximately 317 black educators in Oklahoma lost their jobs because of integration…” (The Effects of the Brown Decision on Black Educators - James E. Haney) The Supreme Court was in the Warren era when Brown V. BOE was decided. Chief Justice Earl Warren, when in power, lead a liberal court. Chief Justice Earl Warren decided that separate is inherently unequal. His role was crucial for the Supreme Court’s decision. This case is undoubtedly linked to the 14th amendment, as the case is all about equality for people of color. The 14th amendment ensures equal protection of everyone under the US Constitution. No matter your skin color. Today, people of color still face racism in America. Considering the police brutality, concentration camps at the southern border, and biased ruling in courts against people of color, it’s clear we haven’t made enough progress. 

In the landmark case of Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), women in the United States started to gain their right to safe and legal abortions. Jane Roe was the name given to the plaintiff to ensure her safety/privacy. She was single and pregnant. Which was a social crime in the 1970’s, Texas. She was sick and tired of not having legal control over her body, and not having privacy. So, she filed suit against Henry Wade. The district attorney for Dallas County. Her argument was: “Roe contested the statute on the grounds that it violated the 14th Amendment mandating equal protection of the laws and the guarantee of personal liberty…” (Roe v. Wade: Background Summary & Questions (•••), Landmark Cases of the U.S. Supreme Court) The suit made it to the supreme court, where the official disposition invalidated any state laws banning first trimester abortions. The Supreme Court, at the time, was liberal. But, not quite as liberal as when it was under Chief Justice Earl Warren, which has granted it the name of a ‘transitional court’. Considering the court after Chief Justice Warren Burger was conservative. Chief Justice Warren Burger was considered a ‘conservative constructionist’, but his court’s decisions were arguably equally liberal as its predecessors. With landmark cases granting women’s rights, privacy rights, and due process. The case originated in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. This case is most closely related to the Equal Rights Amendment, an amendment securing the rights of women in America. It was made official in 1972. Roe V. Wade is connected to the Equal Rights Amendment because no man in America has ever been denied a vasectomy if he wanted one. I, personally, have never heard any politician in the history of ever consider a man’s body anything but his own business. Women’s rights, including the right to do whatever they want with their bodies, still aren’t legally waterproof in America. Especially if you’re undocumented. With constrictive laws being considered in southern states, it looks like we’re taking steps backward. 

 On January 21, 2010, the Supreme Court ruled that corporations and unions can use their treasuries for independent ‘electioneering communications’. This case, Citizens United V. FEC, is crucial because it overturned two previous Supreme Court cases: Austin V. Michigan Chamber of Commerce, and McConnell V. Federal Election Commission. The court decided they made a mistake, and overturned it. This was brought up when a critical documentary came out about Hillary Clinton. “The case arose in 2008 when Citizens United, a conservative nonprofit corporation, released the documentary Hillary: The Movie, which was highly critical of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, a candidate for the 2008 Democratic nomination for president of the United States.”(Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, Brian Duignan) The question was, was a union allowed to trash-talk their own employer with their treasury? The court’s official disposition, was that yes, they could. The court at the time was liberal, the Chief Justice was not. Chief Justice John Roberts was conservative. This case originated in the United States District Court For The District of Columbia. This is most closely related to the first amendment, as it deals with the right to free speech. In America today, people are twisting what ‘free speech’ means. To some, it’s the legal ticket to say whatever you want in any circumstances. To some, it means that the government can’t come for you for whatever you say. Either way, political discourse is very common today. People are speaking their minds freely, which can lead to violence. A modern problem that definitely relates to this case is how mean commentary and media is shoveled at political figures. People seem to forget that political figures are people too.  

The United States of America had the redemption arch of the century. Americans bringing their cases to the Supreme court and demanding change are what revolutionized America into what it is today. The landmark cases of Brown V. BOE, Roe V. Wade, and Citizens United V. FEC revolutionized rights for everyone. Each was brought up by ordinary Americans, and won by them.