Her Dissent Does Not Disappoint

This morning, I finally got to read Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s dissenting opinion on the Supreme Court affirmative action decision handed down last week. Wow. Her dissent does not disappoint. It lays out a clear, compelling case for why race should absolutely be one component that colleges use to consider in the application process. 

KBJ dispels the myth that our racist past has nothing to do with right now. “History speaks,” she writes, “In some form, it can be heard forever.” White people like me still benefit from history's handouts: the free land, the GI Bill, the low-interest loans, the access to clean air and water, the non-competitive college admissions (and much more) that my ancestors cashed in on. 

Race still matters. More than ever. Because this Supreme Court decision will inevitably widen America’s ominous racial gaps. KBJ’s dissent undoes the guilt and colorblindness, offering another way forward for people of privilege. A clear-eyed understanding of how history affects the present – and an open-hearted promotion of policies that work for everyone.