CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATION

Civil Rights Legislation

Abstract

The civil rights movement of the mid-20th century culminated in passage of a broad civil rights act that assured the right to vote and outlawed discrimination in public areas, education, employment, and all federally funded programs. Eventually, protection against discrimination extended to social group membership by race, color, national origin, religion, sex, and age, later expanding to include disability. Related legislation removed the long-standing white preference in immigration quotas, required equal pay for equal work, and established oversight agencies.

Executive Summary

The concept of “civil liberties” has played and continues to play an important part in ensuring that state authorities give appropriate weight to the freedom of the individual citizen. It faces challenges in the modern world, but courts have generally responded confidently. In particular, the House of Lords in the United Kingdom has demonstrated that the Human Rights Act 1998 has given it the power to challenge legislation in a way that was not previously possible under the British constitution.

Civil Rights Legislation

Proposition

Civil Rights Legislation should be amended to include sexual orientation as a protected class.

Discussion

The acquisition of civil rights for all groups remains inextricably linked to issues of inequality, discrimination, and social justice still plaguing the United States. The denial of civil rights led to mass protest in the country, particularly in the second half of the 20th century (Oliver, 2006). Much of that protest centered on problems of voting and political representation. Protest groups saw political representation and voting as keys to accessing educational opportunity and employment and as a means for confronting discrimination in housing and real estate practices, police brutality, and bias in the judicial system (Morris, 2006). The inquiry of who municipal as well as political privileges request to is a theme of controversy. In numerous nations, citizens have larger protections in opposition to infringement of privileges than non-citizens; at the identical time, municipal and political privileges are advised to be worldwide privileges that request to each and every person.

Despite substantial progress in the expansion of civil rights to previously disenfranchised groups and dismantling de jure forms of segregation, patterns of social inequality remain. According to recent census data, minorities continue to lag significantly behind the majority group in educational attainment, wealth, occupational prestige, income, and quality of life as indicated by health and longevity.

These patterns of inequality remain after controlling for similar educational and occupational standing. Despite increasing political integration, gaps remain. This is especially the case for African Americans, Latinos/as, and Native Americans. These groups are disproportionately impoverished, incarcerated, and underrepresented among political and economic leaders. Despite being citizens, the “first” Americans—members of the American Indian nations—suffer the worst poverty and the greatest marginalization (Gordon, 2004).

Also, jobs in the United States are gendered. Gender segregation in occupations lead to women being relegated to jobs that do not ensure their future economic vitality and are characterized by lower wages. This pattern persists in each racial group. Women also suffer from media treatment that sexual-izes and diminishes ...