Thread: Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Firefighters

Court rules for white firefighters over promotions
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Jun 29, 10:27 AM (ET)

By MARK SHERMAN

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court ruled Monday that white firefighters in New Haven, Conn., were unfairly denied promotions because of their race, reversing a decision that high court nominee Sonia Sotomayor endorsed as an appeals court judge.

New Haven was wrong to scrap a promotion exam because no African-Americans and only two Hispanic firefighters were likely to be made lieutenants or captains based on the results, the court said Monday in a 5-4 decision. The city said that it had acted to avoid a lawsuit from minorities.

The ruling could alter employment practices nationwide, potentially limiting the circumstances in which employers can be held liable for decisions when there is no evidence of intentional discrimination against minorities.

"Fear of litigation alone cannot justify an employer's reliance on race to the detriment of individuals who passed the examinations and qualified for promotions," Justice Anthony Kennedy said in his opinion for the court. He was joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas.

I think that this is great news. Promotions should be based on merit and not race or ethnicity.

This is great news. Here is the link:

http://apnews.excite.com/article/200906 ... D6GG0.html

This Congress will confirm her anyway, because they are nothing but a bunch of idiots. They'll all have stern words for her, but just like the credit card companies, nothing is ever done. This is how our government has stopped working for us.

I hope this is one huge reason NOT to confirm her. Its not just about empathy, she is a racist IMO. Is this what Obama really wants?

Originally Posted by butterbean

I hope this is one huge reason NOT to confirm her. Its not just about empathy, she is a racist IMO. Is this what Obama really wants?

I Hope your right!!

Originally Posted by 93camaro

Originally Posted by butterbean

I hope this is one huge reason NOT to confirm her. Its not just about empathy, she is a racist IMO. Is this what Obama really wants?

I Hope your right!!

i hope that your right also and agree with your comments

Originally Posted by jamesw62

Originally Posted by 93camaro

Originally Posted by butterbean

I hope this is one huge reason NOT to confirm her. Its not just about empathy, she is a racist IMO. Is this what Obama really wants?

I Hope your right!!

i hope that your right also and agree with your comments

I hope this sinks the Racist!

I hope this is one huge reason NOT to confirm her. Its not just about empathy, she is a racist IMO. Is this what Obama really wants?

I hope so too, but I am sure Obama has a boatload of alternates just as bad. I don't think he really cares if she does not get confirmed as long as he ultimately gets an activist, leftist judge appointed. He fulfilled his duty to the Hispanics whose votes he is courting. If she is not confirmed, that will be someone else's fault.

This was wonderful news that I’ve been hoping to hear for months. Racist hiring practices, like what happened here, have no place in 2009 America. I’m very happy for the firefighters who kept up the fight and didn’t cave in.

The thing I find troubling is that Sotomayer and four current judges felt that this was OK. If the people who were discriminated against were more non-white, I don’t think it would have gotten nearly to this level.

Racism is wrong regardless of who it’s against.