This essay discusses the purpose, scope, and background of the Fourteenth Amendment, and examples where this law has been used differently to deal with cases in ethnic, age, racial and classes’ discrimination.
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Last Name1 Your Name Instructor Name Course Number Date The Law of Equality: The Fourteenth Amendment The principle of equality is paramount as embedded in the constitution and nobody holds the right to undermine another on basis of their merits or their capacities. Everybody is equal according to the law. Constitutional courts are free to prosecute individuals found in breach of this law (Baer 18-37). It is for this reason that I choose to discuss in this paper the purpose, scope, and background of the fourteenth amendment. In this essay, I will discuss examples where this law has been used differently to deal with cases in ethnic, age, racial and classes’ discrimination. History of the amendment This important amendment was first ratified back on 28th July 1868 having been passed on June 1866 by the House of Representatives. It was passed by 120 votes and forwarded to the secretary of state then, William Seward for ratification. It was meant to nullify decision in 1857 by Supreme Court which prevented citizenship to slaves of African descent. It has been applied to eradicate religious and ethnic discriminations. However, cases of racial and religious discrimination have coexisted even after the ratification of this amendment. The fourteenth amendment is one of the paramount constitutional guarantees to racial equality. Section 1 of the
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Last Name2 amendment states that "no state shall . . . deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws"("U.S. Constitutional Amendments - FindLaw"). Thomas Jefferson once said that despite the United States attaining independence, the blacks are inferior to the whites both in stature and mind. The Supreme Court which is the highest court on land has held several enormous ruling against this law. This court once upheld a ruling on a case of a child with Down syndrome. The parents to the child were prevented from authorizing a surgery to save their child. Another example is the 1979 ruling on mental illness to a minor where the parents were required to wait for a court ruling on the treatment. On basis of the constitution, these two cases are against equal protection (Baer 18-37). Purpose of the Fourteenth Amendment Equal protection clause under this amendment speaks of privileges, liberty, property, immunities and due process of law. This clause discourages these forms of discrimination and no state should deny the rights of any citizen (Tani 825). However, judges and magistrates have interpreted this amendment differently with questions such as, which form of equality?; which idea is behind this equality?; what is the guarantee of this equality?; and what forms of equality are provided by the constitution? It is supposed to be a guarantee of rights and as it is seen, it was woven to be open-ended, generous and with no limitations. The fifth and final sections of this amendment give the Congress the power through legislation to the provisions of the constitution. The fourteenth amendment is thus an expansive and an extensive bill of rights with substantial powers. Privileges and discrimination given to the disabled provide a good example of an interpretation of this amendment (Fox Jr 567-611). The disabled claim that access to education and other
Last Name3 public facilities is expensive to them than normal people. On the other hand, normal people believe that the disabled are in most cases favored which is not the case as per this law. Effects of the Fourteenth Amendment to Citizens This amendment is being applied in cases about abortion, interracial marriages, same-sex marriages, gun rights and Bush v. Gore presidential petition (Manning et al. 937-953). However, lesbians and gays are facing attacks when they are trying to champion for equal protection. They have been forced to hide their identity to since the law has singled them out of unequal treatment. They suffer from stigma for being singled out hence feeling disadvantaged. Those involved in stereotypes discriminations incur costs to compensate the oppressed. Conclusion According to my opinion, this is the most important amendment of all. The amendment also outlines foundations of citizenship mostly to individuals born in the country. It also dwells on the rights of ‘Due Process’. This is the situation when the government attempts to inflict citizens with burdens on their lives or their property. It is vital since it focuses on the rights of citizens which is a core to the judicial context of a nation (Lyman 183-247). The section on citizenship is important to citizens including native Indians and slaves as it grants them same responsibilities and rights. It also addresses issues of public debt and citizenship which are very important concepts. Section 2 of the same amendment which talks of voting surpasses article 1, section 2, clause which only allowed some slaves to vote.
Last Name4 Works Cited “U.S. Constitutional Amendments.”Findlaw, constitution.findlaw.com/amendments.html. Baer, Judith A. "Equality under the Constitution: Reclaiming the Fourteenth Amendment." Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2018.Project MUSE: 18-37 Fox Jr, James W. "The Fourteenth Amendment and the Privileges and Immunities of American Citizenship."Constitutional Commentary30.3 (2015): 567-611. Lyman, Stanford M. "The race question and liberalism: Casuistries in American constitutional law."International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society5.2 (1991): 183-247. Manning, Wendy D., Susan L. Brown, and J. Bart Stykes. "Same-sex and different-sex cohabiting couple relationship stability."Demography53.4 (2016): 937-953. Tani, Karen M. "Administrative Equal Protection: Federalism, the Fourteenth Amendment, and the Rights of the Poor."Cornell L. Rev.100 (2014): 825.