Jeremy Waldron Freeman's Defense Of Judicial Review

For years society has believed the words Thomas Jefferson wrote stating “All men are created equal”, however, this is an unattainable ideal in our nation. Generation after generation, people have advocated that every man and woman is born into the world with the same abilities and chances to succeed in life. In spite of that, a large population of the country is denied and restricted from reaching their full potential. Each and every person is born with different financial situations, as well as different ethnic backgrounds that affect their path in life. These factors shape and impact the options people are granted in life, as well as the hardships they face, causing for people to have higher success rates than others. Racial injustices combined

with economic matters prove that all men are truly not born equal due to differentiating opportunities people are dealt, although there is no clear solution, factors such as governmental support, better education, and less discrimination help to further reach the ideal goal of equality.

Economic factors and studies prove the difficulties impoverished people face, causing for them to have less chance of employment and higher economic rank. Jeremy Waldron’s “Freeman’s Defense of Judicial Review” discusses the impact of educational background and how people who do not possess much money cannot attain a good education, causing for a narrow chance of success in life. The school system within the country contains socio-economic disadvantages. Students in lower economic classes tend to go to schools that do not provide the level of education other schools do. Multiple studies have proved that low income correlates to students having poor cognitive development, language, memory, and issues with relations to other people. Not to mention, low socioeconomic status factors into increasing dropout rates. The lack of education people get mirror their success in life, specifically relating to career paths. Employers seek certain educational requirements, which a

large population of the lower class cannot acquire. Individuals in poverty are unable to climb up the economic ranks because it is challenging to get out of the situation they were born into. A study by CNN proved that 70% of people born in lower classes stay in that class. Moreover, wealthier classes make it harder for lower classes to succeed and thrive. John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath portrays the hardships lower classes face, specifically due to opportunities taken by the wealthier, and how people with money were able to flourish. Taking place during the Great Depression, The Grapes of Wrath exemplifies the greed of the elite and upper class, hurting the migrant families. The working poor were unable to earn a stable income due to people from higher classes taking advantage of them. Elites were out for enrichment at the expense of the migrants, causing for the rich to prosper and the poor to decline. The difference between the classes is still relevant today, especially with the widening wealth gap that is present in society.
Alongside economic conflicts, social issues are present in the contribution of inequality in society, specifically racial inequality.

Discrimination and marginalization serve as a barrier to minorities seeking an escape from poverty. Westen Peter’s “The Concept of Equal Opportunity” discusses obstacles people of different ethnicities face in society and how it proves that full equality is unattainable. In the United States, roughly 75 percent of poverty is made up of African Americans, Indians, and citizens of Hispanic descent, whereas whites make up nearly 10 percent. Furthermore, “The British Journal of Sociology” includes an article by S.J.D Green who talks about segregating schools. For years, schools across the nation lack in diversity. This absence of multiculturalism traces back to the civil rights movement, schools were ¨separate but equal¨ until overturned in the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education. Citizens argued that separating races creates a sense of inferiority and psychologically damages African American students. During the case, the court stated that the separation in educational facilities affected one´s education and personal growth. To add on, other obstacles African Americans faced can be seen in August Wilson's Fences. Wilson illustrated the hardships faced by African American families enclosed in a white society. The main character, Troy, struggled to obtain a good job at the beginning of the novel due to racial bias towards white people. Not

to mention, he was unable to follow his dreams and pursue a career in baseball because he was not allowed to play in the major league due to his race. Troy had numerous opportunities taken away from him due to being black, the society he lived in shaped his future and he was unable to do anything about it. After analyzing numerous sources, the overarching question about whether or not society has progressed in racial equality lies. Rather than any real racial change occurring, discrimination has just transformed over the years. Although racism is not as extreme as it used to be, prejudice still lies within the primarily white population of America. A recent study found that over a two week time period 78% of Asian Americans experienced microaggression. Adding on, numerous accounts from workers stated that racial slurs were used against minorities, giving them a sense of subordinance. A specific example of racism in modern day society that has occurred recently is at Colorado State University. Two Native Americans were pulled aside during a college tour because a parent was nervous about their presence. In spite of the fact that discrimination is not near as harsh as it used to be, racism is still clearly present in society, limiting people to achieve their goals and aspirations in life, as well as giving a feeling of inferiority.
Although there is no definite solution, there are numerous ways to make society more equal through governmental support, improvements in the education system, and less discrimination. To begin with, government regulation and intervention is a necessity to decline poverty rates. An article by Psychology Today stresses the importance of the role of government in the nation. The article discusses that as America being one of the world's most powerful and wealthy countries, they can afford to help the less fortunate. Jeffrey Miron, writing last year in National Affairs, recorded that “if the $1.45 trillion in direct [federal] anti-poverty spending in 2007 had been simply divided up among the poorest 20 percent of the population, it would have provided an annual guaranteed income that year of more than $62,000 per household.” Nonetheless, a large sum of the money goes to numerous programs and charities, as well as middle-class families. Although numerous programs help families, many times not all the money goes directly to the cause. By giving money directly to the less fortunate, it gives them the chance to start back up their lives and progress further in economic and social ranks. Furthermore, better educational opportunities for minorities and impoverished citizens will allow for them to be qualified for more jobs, thus bettering their chances of success. In order for low socioeconomic students to have better education, changes to the education system are necessary. For starters, creating year-round Pell Grants would help students who seek to attain more college credits by supplying financial support. To add on, kids in a low-income family should be informed and encouraged to start a college-saving plan and should have more access to early childhood education programs. Kids who partake in college-saving plans are more likely to attend college and graduate. Also, early childhood education programs greatly impact students, especially students who are not as wealthy. Lastly, according to Time Magazine, getting the necessary assistance for students who are on the path to dropping out will cause a 90% high school graduation rate by 2020. All the factors and improvements previously listed contribute to students getting on a better track in life by having more knowledge and experience. Acquiring diplomas and graduating high school and college opens the doors to better career paths. In order for less fortunate students to attain these goals, improvements such as the ones previously listed need to be implemented in the school system. Finally, the hardest objective to effectuate is less discrimination. Diversifying not only schools but communities as a whole will benefit society. Parts of the nation are made up of different towns and neighborhoods that contain a specific race, for example, black ghettos. Restraining regions to one race causes a push in conformity, and concentrates poverty and social issues in specific areas, increasing the probability of violence occurring. Diversity drives innovation and creates a network of talent and ideas, whereas conformity holds back progress in society. The different factions of ethnicities generate a class system in itself as if it is modern day segregation. A society without separation by race produces a united community, thus leading to less discrimination and more advancements in the nation.
Social and economic issues in the nation lead to equality being inevitably unattainable. The difficulty to climb economic ranks due to the lack of education and greed from the upper class, alongside racial inequity and discrimination, prove the hardships low socioeconomic citizens face. Overall, these obstacles limit their opportunities in life and success rate. However, with help from the government, improvement in the education system, and diversifying communities across the United States, the country will be one step closer to the idealistic utopia that is equality.