CHAPTER 21 

CIVIL RIGHTS 

EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER THE LAW 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION 

 

DISCRIMINATION – def – SHOWING PREFERENCE FOR OR AGAINST AN INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP 

 

DISCRIMINATION IN AMERICA DATES BACK TO TREATMENT OF AMERICAN INDIANS AND AFRICAN AMERICANS 

 

RESERVATIONS AND JIM CROW LAWS 

 

WE ARE A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS 

 

“LUMPY STEW” AS OPPOSED TO A “MELTING POT” 

 

EVERY SUCCEEDING WAVE OF IMMIGRANTS HAVE BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BY THE RESIDENT POPULATION 

 

EXAMPLE – THE JEWS, CATHOLICS, ASIANS, IRISH, HISPANICS AND TODAY ISLAMICS 

 

TYPES OF DISCRIMINATION 

 

DE JURE DISCRIMINATION – def  - DISCRIMINATION WRITTEN INTO LAW 

 

DE FACTO DISCRIMINATION – def – DISCRIMINATION BANNED BY LAW BUT CONTINUES TO EXIST 

 

SYSTEMIC DISCRIMINATION 

THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE OF THE 14TH AMENDMENT 

 

GUARANTEES EQUALITY UNDER THE LAW TOGETHER WITH EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY 

 

INITIALLY PASSED TO GUARANTEE THAT THE NEWLY ENFRANCHISED SLAVES WOULD NOT BE DENIED RIGHTS BT THE STATES 

 

TODAY IT IS INTERPRETED TO FORBID STATES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FROM DRAWING UNREASONABLE DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN CLASSES OF PEOPLE 

 

ALLOWABLE DE JURE DISCRIMINATION – LITMUS TESTS 

 

RATIONAL BASIS TEST 

 

MUST SATISFY A REASONABLE GOVERNMENT INTEREST 

 

ALLOWS FOR DISCRIMINATION BASED UPON 

 WEALTH  

                                 GRADUATED INCOME TAX, ESTATE TAXES, WELFARE, INDIGENT ATTORNEY FEES

                GENDER 

                                SELECTIVE SERVICE, STATUTORY RAPE (FOR MALES), MILITARY JOB RESTRICTIONS AGAINST WOMEN 

IN MANY INSTANCES A PATERNALISTIC VIEW TOWARDS WOMEN AS THE WEAKER SEX MOTIVATED LAWS THAT WERE DISCRIMINATORY 

AGE 

DRIVING, VOTING, DRINKING, JUVENILE COURTS, SENIOR LOTTERY BENEFITS 

PHYSICAL CONDITION 

HANDICAPPED PARKING 

STRICT SCRUTINY TEST 

 

MUST SATISFY A COMPELLING GOVERNMENTAL INTEREST 

                               

ALLOWS DISCRIMINATION BASED UPON 

 

RACE 

SEGREGATION (AT ONE TIME), AFFIRMATIVE ACTION 

 

SEPARATE BUT EQUAL – PLESSY V. FERGUSON 

 

JIM CROW LAWS 

FACILITIES AND SERVICES WERE SEPARATED BUT NOT EQUAL 

 

INTEGRATION 

BROWN V, BOARD OF EDUCATION 

 

NATIONAL ORIGIN 

IMMIGRATION LAWS, DENIAL OF VOTING RIGHTS TO ALIENS 

 

FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS 

 

CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 

 

TITLE II 

                                                DENIED DISCRIMINATION IN VOTING 

TITLE VI 

DENIED DISCRIMINATION RELATIVE TO SERVICE IN PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS 

TITLE VII 

DENIED DISCRIMINATION IN HIRING 

TITLE IX 

DENIED DISCRIMINATION BASED UPON GENDER 

 

CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1968 

 

DENIED DISCRIMINATION IN HOUSING 

 

                                AFFIRMATIVE ACTION 

 

DEF – GIVING PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT TO MINORITIES IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE UP FOR PAST INSTANCES OF DISCRIMINATION 

 

QUOTAS OR SET ASIDES ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL 

INTENDED TO PROVIDE DIVERSITY 

 

REVERSE DISCRIMINATION – def – DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE MAJORITY 

 

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA V. BAKKE 

 

                                RACE CANNOT BE USED AS THE SOLE CRITERIA IN MAKING AFFIRMATIVE ACTION DECISIONS 

                                AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IS BENIGN BUT NECESSARY 

 

                                ADARAND CONSTRUCTION V. PENA 

 

GOVERNMENT CAN ONLY UTILIZE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION TO OVERCOME SPECIFIC, CLEARLY PROVEN CASES OF DISCRIMINATION 

 

                THE CONSTITUTION PROTECTS PERSONS NOT GROUPS 

 

AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP 

 

CAN BE ACQUIRED BY BIRTH 

 

                                                JUS SOLI 

JUS SANGUINES 

 

CAN BE ACQUIRED BY NATURALIZATION 

 

CAN BE AS AN INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP 

IMMIGRATION LAW 

 

AT ONE TIME, THE U.S. HAD AN OPEN DOOR POLICY 

 

QUOTAS (BASED UPON NATIONAL ORIGIN) WERE ESTABLISHED AT THE TURN OF THE 20TH CENTURY TO LIMIT IMMIGRATION 

 

CURRENT IMMIGRATION LAW – 1990 

 

ELIMINATED QUOTAS BY COUNTRY  

 

ALLOWS FOR A CEILING OF 675,000 IMMIGRANTS/YEAR 

 

SHOWS PREFERENCE FOR 

 

FAMILY MEMBERS 

THOSE WHO HAVE SKILLS THAT ARE IN NEED 

THOSE WHO HAVE WEALTH AND CAN CREATE JOBS 

 

DEPORTATION – def – THE RETURN OF AN ALIEN BACK TO THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN 

 

DENATURALIZATION – def – REMOVAL OF CITIZENSHIP FOR A NATURALIZED CITIZEN 

 

EXPATRIATION – VOLUNTARILY RENOUNCING ONE’S CITIZENSHIP