Black Activists Praise Supreme Court's Affirmative Action Decision; Justices' Ruling...

Black Activists Praise Supreme Court's Affirmative Action Decision; Justices'
Ruling Throws Sotomayor Nomination into Serious Question

WASHINGTON, June 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With the U.S. Supreme Court
dealing a stinging blow to race-based employment practices, members of the
Project 21 black leadership network are praising the Ricci v. DeStefano
decision as a step toward removing the racial trappings of a by-gone era and
putting all Americans on equal footing.

"It was clear to this Court that barring people from promotion because of the
color of their skin is wrong. The only downside is that four justices still
cling to an outmoded and discriminatory line of thought," said Project 21
chairman Mychal Massie. "True equality allows people to rise and fall on
their merits. That's what this decision protects. How can one oppose such
fairness?"

In a 5-4 decision, the Court reversed the lower court ruling, barring the use
of race as the sole factor in promotions. In his majority opinion, Justice
Anthony Kennedy wrote, "Fear of litigation alone cannot justify the City's
reliance on race to the detriment of individuals who passed the examinations
and qualified for promotions."

The decision also casts serious doubt on the Supreme Court nomination of Sonia
Sotomayor. She was a member of the appeals court panel that issued the
one-paragraph opinion overturned today. Now, she must explain to senators how
she could be so much at odds with her potential future colleagues.

"Justice is supposed to be blind, but the opinion she joined in the Ricci case
- now overturned by the Supreme Court - shows Sonia Sotomayor believes justice
should be based on ethnicity," added Project 21's Massie. "Her ruling in
Ricci is an unambiguous example of her placing her feelings and personal
prejudices above what the law dictates or allows."

Project 21, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization sponsored by the National
Center for Public Policy Research, has been a leading voice of the
African-American community since 1992. For more information, contact David
Almasi at (202) 543-4110 x11 or Project21@nationalcenter.org, or visit Project
21's website at http://www.project21.org/P21Index.html.

SOURCE National Center for Public Policy Research

David Almasi of the National Center for Public Policy Research,
+1-202-543-4110 x11, Project21@nationalcenter.org