With the news of pipe bombs and hot rhetoric, the trial in Boston over Harvard’s use of affirmative action has been anything but a racial hot-button for the president’s base.
Maybe they need the Cliff Notes?
So far the trial’s been a quaint little tea party. Downright civil, even though the plaintiffs, the Students for Fair Admission (SFFA) were brought together by a right-wing, anti-affirmative action advocate, Ed Blum, and are represented by lawyers, all of whom reportedly clerked for the most conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Despite having been a beneficiary, Thomas doesn’t like affirmative action.
On the other side, Harvard was represented by Bill Lee, an Asian American lawyer and a graduate of Harvard (Class of 1972). He knows what it’s like to be the only Asian in the room. He’s spent most of his time in the trial questioning Harvard’s Dean of Admissions, William Fitzsimmons, as Harvard defends its use of race. Fitzsimmons, who is White, is really the face of the trial, so far. He’s the son of a gas station owner from outside Boston, who also graduated from Harvard (Class of 1966).
Lots of symbolism here.
What most don’t understand is how the majority of Asian Americans — 58 percent — see affirmative action as a good thing.
And when asked if they favor or oppose affirmative action programs designed to help Blacks, women, and other minorities get better access to higher education, 66 percent of all Asian Americans are in favor.
