Posted on 05/21/2010 11:32:56 AM PDT by albie
My 16 year old daughter has suddenly and with the most coincidental timing been asked by her history teacher to write a paper on the effect the "Civil Rights Act of 1964" has had on America today. I know what the teacher is looking for, but I want to be sure I teach my daughter the truth.
I'm asking for bullet points on the effect this act really had on America. Your help would be most appreciated!
senator Fullbright along with his intern Bill clinton lead a filibuster against it along with Al Gore sr.
She should mention that regardless of the good intent and positive or negative results of the Civil Rights Legislation - one definite effect is that the scope of the law has metasticized to cover any aggrieved group that is willing to label itself. We now have a large political class that see it appropropriate for the Government to identify all groups and problems as one of “civil rights.” That same class distorts the “Civil Rights” argument now to justify Government control and limits on speech and individual freedom on nearly every issue in the USA - religion, homosexuality, immigration, poverty, health care, war and peace, the military, environmentalism, etc....
good discussion via podcast on this...
or ...
http://www.ktlkfm.com/cc-common/podcast.html
(3rd from the top)
Also point out that it was a Democrat who federalized segregation (Woodrow Wilson), it was Democrats who opposed anti-lynching legislation in the 1930s, it was Democrats who successfully watered down the Civil Rights Acts of the 1950s, and it was Democrats who opposed (and to this day continue to oppose) equal protection guaranteed by the 14th Amendment. Be sure to also point out that it was a Republican (Eisenhower) who brought an end to federal segregation and integrated Little Rock schools, and it was a Republican (Everett Dirksen) who wrote the Voting Rights Act.
Although it is somewhat dated, The Civil Rights Act of 1964, published by Greenhaven Press as part of its "Opposing Viewpoints" series, provides a balanced analysis of the law and its impact by writers from various points of view. Books published by Greenhaven tend to be reliable.
Another book you might consult is The laws that shaped America : fifteen acts of Congress and their lasting impact by Dennis Johnson, published by Routledge, a company that specializes in reference books, in 2009.
The Lincoln Review, which was published by The Lincoln Institute, a conservative black think tank should have some articles that deal with the law. Unfortunately, the site is not searchable, but you can browse the contents of the journals, as well as the letters and the commentaries.
Good luck on your project.
The Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 1960 had been strongly opposed by the southern Democrats(including LBJ). The Civil Rights Bill of 1964 was meant to prevent discrimination based on race, national origin etc. It was strongly opposed by the southern Democrats and supported primarily by Republicans. After it proved popular LBJ switched and supported it.
In debate, supporters stated specifically that it would prohibits quotas and racial preferences. As soon as it passed they changed their story.
Barry Goldwater and other conservatives opposed the bill stating that it would create new government powers and regulations outside the scope of the bill.
Until 1964, Lyndon Johnson ran as a segregationist. Barry Goldwater treated people of all races with respect.
Wow, you seem very knowledgeable of the topic.
With that being the case, could you please name one since Republican from the South in the House or Senate that voted on favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
Yes, I think this is right. For me, the worst piece of legislation passed in the wake of the Civil Rights Act, was the Voting Rights Act, which was passed the next year - 1965.
It was a mistake to renew that Act two years ago, but the politics of the issue didn't allow Republican to take a principled (and correct) stand. The VRA established a separate set of rules for some states, clearly violating the spirit (perhaps the letter) of the equal protection clause. Those separate rules continue today, some 48 years later. It's time to move on from the 1960s.
Wow, you seem very knowledgeable of the topic.
With that being the case, could you please name one Republican from the South in the House or Senate that voted on favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
Thanks for your input!
Great points! Thanks!
Lots of good info here. Thanks!
“From a personal viewpoint, this act, along with some Supreme Court
decisions...”
...awesome point, thanks!
Thank you. That was a most illuminating point. It made my day :-)
(One of the reasons I love FR is that you learn things that you didn’t know you didn’t know.)
* blushes * We are a home school family. I make it a habit of trying to help research things for students of any stripe.
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