How About Our Civil Rights? Who Do They Benefit?

 Nadene Goldfoot   

                                                               

Trump Says DEI, Civil Rights Policies Hurt White People. Do they?

President Donald Trump’s approach to civil rights legislation, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act, centers on rolling back policies designed to remedy systemic racism, which his administration contends constitutes "reverse discrimination". 

Judaism teaches respect for the fundamental rights of others as each person's duty to God. "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor" (Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 31a). Equality in the Jewish tradition is based on the concept that all of God's children are "created in the image of God" (Genesis 1:27). From that flows the biblical injunction, "You shall have one law for the stranger and the citizen alike: for I, Adonai, am your God" (Leviticus 24:22).

In the United States, Jewish people are protected from discrimination under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars discrimination based on race, color, religion, and national origin. Furthermore, federal courts have ruled that Jewish people are protected against racial discrimination in employment under these statutes, as Judaism constitutes a distinct ethnic and protected group.

Employment Discrimination: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act makes it unlawful for employers to discriminate against Jewish employees regarding hiring, compensation, or terms of employment. Employers are also required to provide reasonable religious accommodations (such as time off for the High Holy Days) unless it causes undue hardship. 

Hate Crimes: The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act provides federal jurisdiction to prosecute crimes committed against individuals because of their perceived religion or race.

Housing and Public Accommodations: The Fair Housing Act and Title II of the Civil Rights Act prohibit discrimination based on religion or race in housing, real estate transactions, and public spaces such as hotels, restaurants, and theaters.

Specific actions and legal challenges have reshaped the enforcement of these historic protections: 

                                 MEDDDLING

• Executive Actions on DEI: Trump has actively sought to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across federal agencies, contractors, and universities, arguing that modern equality programs violate longstanding civil rights statutes. 
• Challenging the Materiality Provision: The administration has moved to dismiss voting rights lawsuits that invoked the Civil Rights Act of 1964, specifically targeting provisions that prevent states from rejecting voter registrations based on minor, inconsequential omissions. 
• Federal Voting Restrictions: Trump issued executive orders to create a restricted federal voter list, limiting mail-in voting and imposing new requirements on registered voters. Civil rights organizations contend these restrictions violate equal protection guarantees. 
• Disparate Impact Reversal: The administration has targeted long-standing interpretations of the Civil Rights Act by de-prioritizing enforcement based on "disparate impact"—a legal theory utilized to combat policies that unintentionally discriminate against minority populations.
  
  
  
• Vote wisely this time, as Whoopi Goldberg advises.  "This is on us": She regularly uses this phrase to emphasize that the state of the country and the choice of leaders falls directly on the shoulders of the voters. The Problem With Whoopi  is Constant : This is on us refrain.