Sharpton on SCOTUS Affirmative Action Decision: ‘Sticking a Dagger in Our Back’

MSNBC host Al Sharpton said Thursday on “José Díaz-Balart Reports” that the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action programs for college admissions was a “dagger in our backs.”

Sharpton said, “Well, I think that this is tantamount to sticking a dagger in our back because what they have said now is that it is unconstitutional to even consider race. And given the racial history of the country, let’s not act like blacks are behind because there’s something in our genes that made us behind. It was against the law for us to even read and write until 160 years ago. We were enslaved for 246 years. So it is to completely throw to the wind the history of why we needed affirmative action in the first place.”

He continued, “So now you have a right-wing Trump court, let’s not forget Trump nominated a third of the sitting court, nine members, three of which Trump put on there, that is saying well, we’ll protect the voting rights on Thursday, Friday and Monday and then we’re going to pull the rug from under you.”

Sharpton added, “I think it is unimaginable not to consider race, given the history of this country and given the data that we still see in this country. Blacks are still 10% less in terms of family wealth than whites. We are still less in education. So either you’re saying we’re genetically inferior or that there’s something that is unequal in society and is unequal because of law.”

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