Share
Commentary

Trump's Newest Exec Order Sets Stage to End 54 Years of Fake Racism from 'Disparate Impact'

Share

President Donald Trump signed yet another tremendous executive order Wednesday.

That executive order aims to end disparate impact liability in “various contexts to ensure equal treatment under the law.”

As the order defines it, disparate impact liability “is a legal theory holding that differences in outcomes among races, sexes, or similar groups indicate unlawful discrimination, even without discriminatory intent or policies.”

Rapid Response 47 posted footage from the Oval Office of Trump signing the order.

According to Justia, the Supreme Court ruled in 1971 via Griggs v Duke Power Co. that even if a discriminatory intent does not exist in hiring someone, employers cannot use requirements in hiring that would inadvertently exclude certain groups.

Essentially, discrimination no longer required intent.

In other words, employers could still be seen as bigoted, sexist, and racist if hiring practices were well-meaning, but supposedly hurt certain groups.

Is it time for America to finally stop obsessing over race?

According to Trump’s executive order, “the theory violates the Constitution’s guarantee of equal treatment for all by requiring race-oriented policies and practices to rebalance outcomes along racial lines.”

The order goes further in what steps come next:

“The Order revokes presidential actions that approved of disparate-impact liability and sets in motion broader reform,” the White House added. “It directs all agencies to deprioritize enforcement of statutes and regulations that include disparate-impact liability.”

The order also “instructs the Attorney General to repeal or amend all Title VI (racial nondiscrimination) regulations that contemplate disparate-impact liability.”

The document meanwhile “directs the administration to assess all pending investigations, lawsuits, and consent judgements that rely on a theory of disparate-impact liability and take appropriate action.”

Related:
NFL Superstar Saquon Barkley Schools Critics Slamming Him for Golfing with Trump: 'Not a Hard Concept to Understand'

With the Trump administration going one way, and Griggs going another, does this mean the executive order has opened a possible court battle?

This is not the Warren court of the 1970s.

Although more conservative members of the Supreme Court like Justice Amy Coney Barrett have recently created disillusionment on the right, siding with more progressive justices on some issues related to executive power, it was only three years ago that the Dobbs v. Jackson decision overturned Roe v. Wade, the most reviled and erroneous decision since Scott v. Sandford

Let’s hope if things come to that with Griggs, the Supreme Court makes the right call.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
, , , , , ,
Share
Sam Short is an Instructor of History with Motlow State Community College in Smyrna, Tennessee. He holds a BA in History from Middle Tennessee State University and an MA in History from University College London. The views expressed in his articles are his own and do not reflect the views or opinions of Motlow State Community College.




Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.

Conversation