Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Attorney General Nominee Misleads on 'Equity' and 'Equality'

It was to be expected, but is disappointing nevertheless, that attorney general nominee Merrick Garland has echoed the Biden administration line that its prioritization of equity is not a radical departure from the constitutional principle of equality under the law.

It makes equity the antithesis of equality - the latter being the constitutional principle that government must treat everyone equally under the law, regardless of race.

At the hearing, Garland told Cotton, "I think discrimination is morally wrong. Absolutely." Taking Garland at his word, it is hard to understand how the Justice Department, under his stewardship, could in good conscience apply Biden's equity guidance.

For now, Garland is handling the tension between his rejection of discrimination as a moral wrong and the Biden equity doctrine by pretending that the latter is something other than what it is - indeed, that it is the opposite of what it is.

The second thing to notice is that, contrary to Garland's testimony, Biden's definition of equity says nothing about treating people impartially "Regardless of their status." To the contrary, Biden's equity is all about singling out categories of people based on their status.

Of course, equality and equity are derived from the same Latin root, aequus, which denotes things that are equal or even.

The Biden administration, including its incoming attorney general who will be enforcing the civil-rights laws, does not want you worrying your pretty little head about equity versus equality.

https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/02/merrick-garland-misleads-on-equity-and-equality/ 

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