Let's have some order in the court

I am struck by the breathtaking arrogance of the Supreme Court majority [“Reset on race and opportunity,” Editorial, June 30].

First, they make rulings without regard for real-life negative consequences, from last year’s Dobbs decision to this year’s affirmative action ruling. Then there’s Jones v. Hendrix on June 22, an opinion that says people with now-illegal convictions and sentences because of court error have no recourse and must remain incarcerated. They believe it’s better to have an innocent man live out his days in a cell than ask a judge to admit a mistake.

Second is the lack of respect for past high court decisions. The majority overturns years of precedent seemingly because they consider their own jurisprudence superior to the distinguished legal minds that preceded them.

They expect the country to be thankful they came along to correct the wrong decisions made by those they consider “lesser” justices and refrain from questioning their ethics.

“There is no respect for others without humility in one’s self,” said Swiss philosopher Henri Frederic Amiel. This court’s majority has neither.

— Lisa Castillo, New Hyde Park

The affirmative action decision leaves us with two ironies “Supreme turn to right,” News, July 2]. First, a significant percentage of Black and brown top students never apply to these so-called elite universities because of the prohibitive cost. They are more likely to go to a community or local college that they can afford to help support their family at home or attend a second-tier college where scholarships help cover the cost.

Second, without affirmative action, who will the local racist blame for not getting the better position or promotion that goes to a highly qualified person of color?

— Richard Iannuzzi, Smithtown

In the humble opinion of this moderate Democrat, affirmative action could never accomplish its honorable goals “Supreme Court outlaws affirmative action,” News, June 30]. It was just a zero-out-of-pocket, pass-the-buck Band-Aid.

If we want to ensure that all kids have every opportunity to succeed and, yes, try to right the wrongs of the unmentionable past, we need to put major money into primary and secondary education so that all college applicants are playing on a level field, and can submit competitive college applications based on their stronger academic records. Money for education can and must fix this.

— Neil Zitofsky, Oakland Gardens

I disagree with Lawrence H. Summers [“Truly affirmative action needed now,” Opinion, July 5]. Taking less-qualified Black and Hispanic applicants harmed American universities.

Moreover, Summers concedes that affirmative action does “favor the prep-school-attending minority children of wealthy parents with Ivy League degrees.” That is, an advantage was given to privileged Blacks and Hispanics. Instead, to help those in need, let’s spend more on public education and vocational training in poorly performing schools.

Summers questions preferences for participants in “aristocrat sports.” Does he mean primarily white athletes? Should he not say preferences for all recruited athletes, including basketball and football players? He wants private institutions to “set their own course in admissions.” That’s fine, provided they don’t accept public funding.

The Supreme Court has put a stop to looking at race in college admissions. Now, let’s make sure that employers safeguard equality, not “equity” and “inclusion.”

There is a constitutional right not to be excluded, but inclusion must be earned. Equal protection means that we cannot help some minorities by hurting others, as happened to Asian American applicants to Harvard University.

All decent people expect equal protection. Let’s stick to that as our guiding principle.

— Richard Epstein, West Babylon

Chief Justice John Roberts said, “The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.”

Most say that Blacks are no less capable than whites or any other group. The reason they need some affirmative action is because many are often educated in inferior schools that they are forced to attend due to where they live.

No matter how much money is pumped into these failing schools, nothing changes. Clearly, we need to try something different.

Why not try “school choice”? This would give these children’s parents or guardians the opportunity to select a better school, and maybe they wouldn’t need affirmative action anymore.

— Peter Kelly, Medford

The Supreme Court’s racist and classist ruling is a deeply dangerous injustice designed over decades to destroy despised, disenfranchised and disinherited Black and brown students.

These students must develop, implement and spread a mindset for change throughout America’s landscape. They must stand up and speak up in this historic moment of major Supreme Court rejection of Black and brown lives in college admissions.

Wake up — racism is real in America and abroad. Racial discrimination is real in America and abroad. Diversity and democracy in higher education are still needed now more than ever in America and worldwide.

— The Rev. Arthur L. Mackey Jr., Roosevelt

A reader opined, “Here’s conservatism: Fair is foul and foul is fair” [“On affirmative action decision,” Letters, July 5].

He’s got it backward. That’s liberalism, where the criminals are heroes, the heroes are criminals, men can get pregnant, and you can pick your own gender.

Boy, is this country in trouble.

— Joseph Cesare, Copiague

I am tired of seeing misused time after time the famous line from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “dream” speech.

King was for affirmative action. That is what he fought for. He told us that he would not live to see the day when we would all be equal.

That day still hasn’t come.

— Rabbi Joy Rubenstein, Lake Ronkonkoma

Blacks have always been behind the 8-ball in our society. They’ve been denied a fair education and discriminated against in housing and equal employment, etc. Affirmative action had given them a small advantage because minorities still need the same qualifications when applying for college.

Former President Donald Trump is taking credit for these awful decisions the Supreme Court is handing down. Justice Clarence Thomas, a recipient of affirmative action, voted against it; how hypocritical. And Trump is one reason we need it, as shown by his racist behavior.

— Gene Reynolds, Ridge