A Bill for the Minorities
Racial discrimination had been the subject of debate in the congress for a long time. Often times, members of the congress question the extent of efficiency of execution of the law regarding racial discrimination among the citizens of the United States. The minorities (specifically the blacks) were more likely to be isolated from the native whites.
The minorities had been somewhat deprived of certain rights which the whites chiefly enjoy. However, this discrimination set between the minorities and the whites had been resolved through the Civil Rights Act of 1964 originally proposed by the late President John F. Kennedy.
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The bill was not officially pursued by the mentioned President because of his assassination. His Vice President, Lyndon Johnson who took his place as president, then signed the law (Civil Rights Act of 1964) on July 2, 1964. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 favored most minorities thus giving them equal opportunity in terms of job, education and other services as that of the whites. As stated in the opening paragraph of the bill, it is an Act:
“To enforce the constitutional right to vote, to confer jurisdiction upon the district courts of the United States to provide injunctive relief against discrimination in public accommodations, to authorize the attorney General to institute suits to protect constitutional rights in public facilities and public education, to extend the Commission on Civil Rights, to prevent discrimination in federally assisted programs, to establish a Commission on Equal Employment Opportunity, and for other purposes (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 1997).
” The law ‘protects individuals against employment discrimination on the basis of race and color as well as national origin, sex, or religion’ (Facts about Race/Color Discrimination, 2002). Rise of the Minorities Equal imposition of rights on employment, education, voting, and other services provided by the State brought the minorities to a rise. The provision of the 1964 Act brings forth the protection of several classes including ‘race, color, sex, creed, and age’ (The National Archives, archives.
gov). President Kennedy’s aim to end discrimination among the people living in the state causes a reverse condition. In order to go behind with the rules set by the law, some institutions are making policies which are basically incline to favor minorities more than the white Americans. This scenario can be reflected in campus premises. Granting of scholarships to students on the basis of financial needs encouraged the diversity of minorities in the school premises to increase (Education, 1990).
In addition, since most families belonging to the minority groups received minimal amount of income, the scholarships provided will be in no doubt be granted to their children. Title IV of the 1964 Civil Rights Act deals about the desegration of public education which states that survey concerning the lack of availability of “equal educational opportunities for individuals by reason of race, color, religion, or national origin in public educational institutions at all levels in the United States must be thoroughly conducted and reported (Civil rights Act 1964).
” Institutions granting scholarships seem to misapprehend the statement mentioned above. ‘Equal educational opportunities’ should be granted fairly to all individuals not only to few numbers of people thus having this basis is considered as illegal and clearly violates the law. Furthermore, it can be clearly reflected that minorities were the most favored in this scenario. The scenario in the learning place proves that the civil rights act of 1964 was indeed the most far-reaching and effective piece of legislation regarding minorities in American history.
In an article cited in ‘the 1964 Civil Rights Act to the Present,’ it is said that ‘integration of southern districts was progressing, black college students were enrolling in previously white colleges are at a greater rate. ’ Thus, such integration provided both the minorities and the whites to have equal access to sophisticated facilities and obtain same degree of education. Minorities also benefited in terms of employment upon the approval of the bill. Discrimination in hiring personnel for a job was completely eliminated.
The law addresses employers to set aside factors including race, gender, sex, etc in hiring, promotion as well as termination of individuals in the job. Even in the political arena, the minorities had gained their right to be elected. Some of the African Americans who were elected as public officers were Edward Brooke, Carl Stokes, Douglas Wilder and Gen. Colin Powell (The 1964 Civil Rights Act to the Present). Conclusion Truly, the Civil Rights Act pioneered by the late President John F. Kennedy marks a change in the American society.
Most of the minorities at present times are enjoying privileges which they were deprived before. The integration between the whites and the minorities resulted in the success of a number of blacks in the facets of business, education, government and other fields. The affirmative action taken into account by policy makers put an end on the severe discrimination experienced by the minorities. However, this change in the American society also opens the idea of reverse discrimination between the whites and the non-whites.
The imposition of the equal rights between the two classes had advance the liberty of the minorities but in contrary infringe the liberty of the whites. Racial discrimination must be looked at in both ways. It is unjust to only consider the minorities as the victims of discrimination and is being deprive of certain rights. As for what is happening at present times, it can be reflected that the aim of the proponents of the bill to end discrimination was somehow ineffective.
The law seems to focus its eyes to the protection of the minorities while concerns regarding the whites had been somewhat taken for granted thus, equality between the two classes should be fairly treated and address in the congress. Work Cited EEOC, US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (1997, January 15). Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Retrieved May 26, 2008, from http://www. eeoc. gov/policy/vii. html. The National Archives, archives. gov. Teaching with Documents: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Retrieved May 26, 2008, from http://www. archives. gov/education/lessons/civil-rights-act/. Historical documents. com. Civil Rights Act (1964). Retrieved May 26, 2008, from http://www. historicaldocuments. com/CivilRightsAct1964. htm. The 1964 Civil Rights Act to the Present. Retrieved May 26, 2008, from http://www. infoplease. com/ce6/history/A0858852. html. The New York Times. (2008, May 25) Education. Retrieved May 26, 2008, from http://query. nytimes. com/gst/fullpage. html? res=9C0CE7D8133FF930A25751C1A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all. .
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