[AP.]

The United States Supreme Court [SCOTUS] has ruled in a five v. four decision in favor of White firefighters in a case that once again brought the issue of race into America’s public discourse. The plaintiffs’ argued that the Firefighter department in New Haven had engaged in racial discrimination against them when it negated the results of an exam based solely on the inability of Black firefighters to pass it.

“The case dates back to 2003, when New Haven decided to fill 15 slots for lieutenants and captains in its fire department. The city contracted the test’s creation to a consultant company, who administered the test that fall.

The exam consisted of a written, multiple-choice section, which counted for 60% of the total score, and an oral assessment, weighted 40%.
Firefighters of all races had passed the test, but not proportionally. Of the 19 firefighters who qualified for a promotion, none were black, though two were Hispanic.”

The White firefighters argued that the case was an example of racial discrimination. While supporters of the city argued that the county had the right to negate the exams because the exam was ostensibly flawed and the city has the discretion to decide how to promote regardless of any test.

President Obama’s nominee to the Supreme Court ruled against the White firefighters when the case was before her at a lower federal court.
Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing the court’s ruling opinion, stated that the county violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in deciding solely on the question of race in making its decision. “Whatever the city’s ultimate aim - however well intentioned or benevolent it might have seemed - the city made its employment decision because of race,” he wrote.

The ruling is a victory for equal rights and individualism. It is beyond the pale that a promotion would be held liable as to whether someone else passed it or not. Individuals should be judged, well, individually and not in relation to groups no matter the race. The United States is a nation based on merit and it should remains so.

Further, this country’s decision is incredibly patronizing to Blacks. For years, when Jews could not get into top American school because of anti-Semitism and only could get in if they were exceptional students, a stereotype emerged that Jews are smart. With Blacks the opposite has been occurring. By lowering standards for Blacks, country officials are implicitly stated that Blacks are less equipped than others and they need lower qualifications as such. This is cruel, it is racism and condescending.

The Supreme Court had reaffirmed equality in the United States in the case, and thank God and them for doing so.