Those pesky right-wing activist judges are still at it. Have successfully waged a twenty year battle against civil rights protections, these judges continue to use their power to limit the
rights of people in this country.
Choose your favorite right, and it’s likely that a right-wing judge has already attacked it. Protection from employment discrimination? Not so much so anymore. Access to justice via the courts? Yep, the conservatives have attacked it. Rights for people living with disabilities? Activist judges didn’t think those were so crucial to keep. How about something as basic as clean drinking water? Sorry; these judges figured you could live without that. You get the idea.
Luckily, a lot of smart minds have gathered to take the fight for civil rights restoration to our nation’s legislative branch. Today the National Campaign to Restore Civil Rights hosted a conference call with civil rights supporters from throughout the country, where we discussed what legislative measures are being taken to restore some of the rights that have been dismantled by the “right.”
If you are one of the millions who care about your civil rights, you’ll be happy to know about some of the work that is being done to fix the damage caused by activist judges. Although the National Campaign to Restore Civil Right in a non-partisan, non-lobbying group, we are happy to present you with information about who is working on legislation that restores civil rights protections.
Here’s a roll call of legislation fighting the roll back of rights:
First up is the Civil Rights Act of 2008. This act will ensure that Federal funds are not used to subsidize discrimination, would hold employees accountable for age discrimination and would improve accountability for other violations of civil rights and workers’ rights. Additionally, the act would reverse the damaging Hoffman Plastic Case, of 2002, which specifically affects undocumented migrant workers who are primarily people of color. To learn more about the Civil Rights Act of 2008, you can click here.
Another important piece of civil rights legislation is the Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act. This act would reverse the civil rights rollback brought about by the Supreme Court’s 2007 decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. The Ledbetter decision severely decreased access to justice by those who experience pay discrimination, and the Restoration Act would fix that rollback. For more information about the Fair Pay Restoration Act, check here.
Up next, the Environmental Justice Act of 2007 would serve to fully implement a 1994 Executive Order that increases environmental protections for minority and low-income communities, which often bear a disproportionate burden in pollution and other environmental hazards. Additional information on this act can be found here.
There is also a Clean Water Restoration Act, which works to bring back some of the environmental protections we all once enjoyed. To learn more about what this restoration act would do, you can click here.
And, finally, there is the ADA Restoration Act, which would bring back protections from discrimination based on disability. Conservative judges have limited the protections offered to those seeking equal treatment, and have even limited the definition of those who are legally able to seek equal treatment against discrimination based on disability. This act would right those wrongs. To learn more, click here.
When it takes a list of legislation to just restore rights that have been reduced, you really don’t have to wonder anymore who the real activist judges are. Luckily the folks who fought so long for your rights in the first place won’t concede to the right-wing that easily.
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