By Margaret Huang, president and CEO of the Southern Poverty Legislation Heart
The following Trump administration is quickly taking form, with a number of key nominations introduced that may chart the way forward for our nation. Like many different civil and human rights organizations, the Southern Poverty Legislation Heart is carefully monitoring the president-elect’s picks, as they are going to have vital authority to find out how civil rights legal guidelines can be enforced.
A robust federal authorities is important to making sure that the rights assured by the Structure are each protected and utilized equally to all Individuals and to offering important assets and companies to essentially the most susceptible populations. In arenas resembling housing, training, prison justice, well being care, and extra, civil rights legal guidelines shield in opposition to discrimination and guarantee equal alternative. Nonetheless, we’re involved that the incoming administration will search to shift energy to particular person states and abandon the federal authorities’s obligations to guard everybody’s rights.
As a company that was born in Alabama to assist and advance the Civil Rights Motion, the SPLC uniquely understands the hazards that this switch of authority to state governments can pose, notably for Black and Brown communities. All through U.S. historical past, the federal authorities has repeatedly wanted to intervene when states denied their residents of shade justice by permitting discrimination to persist.
For instance, within the wake of the 2013 Supreme Court docket resolution in Shelby County v. Holder that gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965, now we have seen the results of weakening the federal authorities’s potential to handle racial discrimination in voting. During the last decade, state lawmakers have launched tons of of payments designed to silence the voices, votes, and energy of individuals of shade, notably within the Deep South.
Authorities companies play an important function within the pursuit of a extra equitable and simply society for all, whether or not that’s by guaranteeing Black farmers the identical entry to federal monetary help applications as white farmers or guaranteeing college students have the assets they want for a high-quality training no matter race, gender or ethnicity. Subsequently, we’re calling on the president-elect to evaluation his nominations for the leaders of presidency companies and take into account solely extremely certified people who reveal the next attributes:
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A deep dedication to the rule of legislation and the independence of their respective company from political affect, sustaining impartiality.
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Skilled experience and deep expertise within the areas of labor that they are going to oversee and lead at their respective company.
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Excessive moral and ethical requirements, with no political or private ties to white nationalist or extremist people and/or organizations.
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A observe report of aggressively and affirmatively implementing federal legislation, notably civil rights legal guidelines to guard communities, in addition to a dedication to safeguarding the company in opposition to the weaponization of federal legislation and coverage to focus on Black folks and different traditionally marginalized communities.
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Willingness to defend in opposition to dilution or weakening of federal legal guidelines and in opposition to pointless funding or staffing cuts.
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An understanding of the traditions and operations of the company they’re main, and the power to successfully handle a big group.
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Respect for the function of presidency and the necessary function that profession public servants play within the mission of the company and the supposed impression of its work to enhance the lives of the American folks.
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A robust sense of duty to the historic mission of guaranteeing that our nation lives as much as its promise of equality and justice for all.
The federal authorities generally is a formidable drive in defending our communities when it makes use of its energy successfully and ethically. For instance, the Division of Justice’s “United Against Hate” initiative has produced vital progress in state and native hate crime consciousness. The initiative has helped construct higher relationships and belief between native communities and legislation enforcement—important elements within the efficient response to hate violence, which the FBI experiences is at an all-time excessive. For individuals who have traditionally confronted discrimination, hate crime prevention and coaching applications make an actual distinction in whether or not they really feel secure and welcome residing of their communities.
The federal authorities can be the important energy in holding dangerous actors accountable. The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division typically acts as a backstop when state and native legislation enforcement companies straight violate the rights of U.S. residents or fail to behave when a member of legislation enforcement does so. A clearly compelling instance was the case of a neighborhood prosecutor in Louisville, Kentucky, selecting to not cost the officers liable for the tragic dying of Breonna Taylor. Many DOJ investigations have resulted in settlements and orders that improve transparency, require more practical legislation enforcement coaching, scale back discriminatory policing, and require unbiased oversight of companies. For Black and Brown folks on this nation, these investigations could be their final avenue to acquire justice and drive mandatory change.
The following legal professional common, secretary of Housing and City Improvement, secretary of Homeland Safety, secretary of Training, and each different appointed official should respect the function that the federal authorities performs in safeguarding each American’s rights. We stand able to champion those that reveal this dedication and to oppose those that don’t meet the excessive bar required for these appointments. We hope you’ll be part of us.
The Southern Poverty Legislation Heart is a catalyst for racial justice within the South and past, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional actions, and advance the human rights of all folks. For extra data, go to www.splcenter.org.
