TheGrio: The fate of our freedom is tied to our courts, so we must demand reform
This excerpt is from a piece by Fred Redmond and Rakim Brooks that originally ran at TheGrio on July 24, 2023.
In recent weeks, the Supreme Court has come under intense scrutiny following reports that Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas failed to report luxury trips and gifts from wealthy conservative donors. These stories — combined with the brazenly partisan decisions the court has been issuing — have shaken the public’s confidence in its integrity. A poll conducted in June showed that 59% of registered voters disapprove of the job it’s doing — and cast doubt about its ability to make decisions in the best interest of working people. Of particular concern is the impact that this court will have on the most vulnerable in our society, including communities of color.
As Black men from two different generations, we have seen and experienced firsthand the effect of the U.S. court system on our lives. We have dedicated our careers — one in the labor movement and the other in law — to defending civil and workers’ rights and advancing the fight for economic and racial justice. We understand how pivotal our nation’s judiciary — from the Supreme Court to district courts to state courts — has been in both advancing and resisting racial equity and fairness. That is why we cannot relinquish our court system to the influence of wealthy, special corporate interests or extremists who want to roll back our hard-won progress. We must remain engaged in the fight to shape our judiciary, reinforce its integrity and secure our democracy.