Progressive Minds

Recently released documents shed light on Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts' views on affirmative action.

During the 1980's, Roberts argued against affirmative action as a member of the Reagan administration.

He was highly critical of a U.S. Commission on Civil Rights' report that made the case for broader use of racial preferences.

Specifically, John G. Roberts cited a city police department that recruited minority cadets as part of its affirmative action program. Some of those minority cadets either failed or dropped out. Roberts wrote "There is no recognition of the obvious reason for failure: The affirmative action program required the recruiting of inadequately prepared candidates."

Well, correct me if I'm wrong Mr. Roberts, but affirmative action isn't about giving a position to an unqualified minority candidate. It's about giving preference to equally qualified minority candidates, when they have been under-represented in certain positions. It's a corrective program meant to right past wrongs.