Talking Point #7--One More River to Cross

Talking Point #7--"One More River to Cross"--Recognizing the
Real Injury in Brown: A Prerequisite to Shaping New Remedies
-- by Charles Lawrence

Premise:

• Schooling
• Brown vs. Board of Education
• equality
• segregation
• laws
• privilege
  
• students
• race
• power
• society
• labeling
• recognition
• Southern-de jure/Northern-de facto
  

Argument:
Lawrence argues that "the Supreme Court's reasoning in striking down an interdistrict desegregation order in Detroit was flawed in that it misunderstood the true nature of the institution of segregation." He believes that this case was unsuccessful because no one recognized the actual issues of racism and inequality in the United States.

Evidence:

1. "Segregation violates the equal protection clause of the fourteenth amendment not because there is no rational relationship between the classification and the purpose-it is a supremely rational system-but because its purpose is illegitimate" (282). Here he backs up his statements by using the protection of the fourteenth amendment -- All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
2. "If one views the Brown case narrowly, as a case intended to desegregate the nation's schools, history has proven it a clear failure" (281). Lawrence clearly states his arguement here, that Brown was not an unsuccessful case.
3. "Where does this analysis of what the court has chosen to ignore about segregation leave us with respect to our initial query concerning whether we have won or lost Brown and where we must proceed from here?" (286). Lawrence is implying that the Court refused to recognize the real nature of segregation thus making the elimination of segregation ineffective.

Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
This article was a little long for me (I don't really enjoy reading) but overall it wasn't too too bad. This article also reminded me of my Political Science class because next book we have to read is Brown vs. Board of Education. I agree what Lawrence is arguing because we still definitely see these segregation problems today. All we can do is "say the words" and try to fix the problems.