Renewing the Promise of Equal Opportunity

Freedom from racial discrimination is one of our country's most cherished and hard-fought human rights. This week, leaders from over 50 U.S. non-profit organizations are working to uphold that right in a forum not typically used: a U.N. hearing in Geneva, Switzerland. They are there to set the record straight on a misleadingly rosy report by the U.S. government on discrimination in America, produced to comply with an international treaty called the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination.

Each of the nearly 170 nations -- including the U.S. -- who've adopted the treaty are required to actively address racial discrimination within their borders. And they must periodically report their progress to the international committee in Geneva that monitors treaty compliance. This year, it's the U.S. government's turn to report. With a presidential election coming, and the eyes of the international community on the U.S., the proceedings offer an important chance for U.S. civic leaders to tell the real story of unequal opportunity based on race in our country, and to push for lasting changes in U.S. policy.

Dozens of U.S. organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union and The Opportunity Agenda, have submitted "shadow" reports to the treaty committee to provide a reality check in response to the administration's claims. The ACLU shadow report, Turning a Blind Eye to Injustice, details, among other things, how in the post-9/11 era, large numbers of Americans -- particularly Arab Americans, South Asian Americans, immigrants, Muslims, and even those perceived to be Muslims -- have been unfairly singled out and, often, detained or interrogated by U.S. law enforcement. These Americans have joined African Americans, Latinos, and others who continue to experience racial profiling in disturbing numbers.

In a separate shadow report submitted by the US Human Rights Network, The Opportunity Agenda provided evidence showing the unequal barriers to health care in the U.S. American Indians, African Americans, and Pacific Islanders, for example, bear a far higher burden of poor health than do other Americans, including infant mortality, diabetes, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, and other illnesses. Research shows this is due in part to structural inequality and unequal treatment in our health care system, as well as broader racial inequities like poor quality housing, schools, and environmental protection. Our government has the ability, and the responsibility, to correct this unequal opportunity. Yet, as these shadow reports show, it has fallen far short of its obligations.

In other areas, the evidence similarly shows stark inequality that violates American values of fairness and dignity, as well as the treaty against discrimination. In education, for example, we're moving backwards. Our schools are more racially segregated now than they were 30 years ago, with almost half of black and Latino children attending schools where less than 10% of the students are white. The Bush administration has perpetuated that problem, taking a position, thankfully largely rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court, that would have made it almost impossible for school districts to promote integrated schools voluntarily. Predominantly black and Latino schools also tend to have far fewer resources, like modern textbooks, clean and safe buildings, science labs, and experienced teachers. And in too many schools, children of color are disciplined more harshly than are white kids.

Our nation leads the world in incarceration. And though rates of drug use are roughly equal across different racial groups, people of color are far more likely to be stopped, arrested, and given lengthy prison sentences for drug crimes than are white Americans. Similarly, young people of color are more likely to be tried as adults and housed with adult inmates than are white youths accused of the same conduct.

As a result of these and other human rights violations, the link between poverty and race remains strong: today, between 20 and 25 percent of blacks, Latinos, and Native Americans live in poverty--nearly double the national average.

Contrary to this reality, the U.S. report ignores the very existence of critical human rights problems. It makes only passing mention of Hurricane Katrina and its terrible aftermath. It omits outright the dramatic increase in anti-immigrant violence, the exploitation of migrant workers, the persistence of police abuse, and expanded use of racial profiling. There is no reference to the now widespread phenomenon of criminal justice officials overzealously funneling students of color directly out of the school environment into the penal one -- what many experts now call the "school to prison pipeline." Because these problems cannot be solved until our government recognizes them, the American promise of equal opportunity embodied in the treaty remains broken.

Fortunately, the American people are far more committed to protecting human rights at home, and to the mission of addressing racial discrimination, than is the current administration as reflected by the government's flawed report. According to a recent national poll commissioned by The Opportunity Agenda, an overwhelming majority of Americans see human rights -- including equal opportunity regardless of race -- as critical to American values. And they worry that the U.S. government's practices don't meet those principles. Eight in ten believe that "we should strive to uphold human rights in the U.S. because there are people being denied their human rights in our country."

Human rights are at the core of Americans' national identity, notwithstanding our current government's underwhelming commitment to realizing them. Our nation's civic leaders in Geneva this week are working to hold the U.S. to its promise of equal opportunity, and to the moral aspirations of its people.

Comments

[Wilson33]

This whole thing sounds to me like a family problem, a break down in the family, not of government. Again, I use my own experience living on the west side of Baltimore which is one of the worst inner city areas in the country. And what I see are capable bodies, capable of working and providing, that CHOOSE not to work and provide because they are getting HUGE, ever growing HANDOUTS from the government. All this does is promote mediocrity and less. It does nothing to motivate someone to better themselves. And this is what you liberals want more of. Its insane and it does not work.

I can't speak for every city, but Baltimore provides GREAT housing for FREE. Most of the houses that these people live in are way more than I ever had and again...they are RENT FREE. So, they have a free house that they don't have to pay taxes on, but I do. They have their heat and AC paid for by me. They have at least one car, if not two. They have multiple tvs and playstations. They have plenty of money for beer and cheap wine. Most are overweight which tells me that they have plenty of money for food and simply choose to buy the wrong things.

Listen, I am all for human/civil rights, but I am tired of the same old, tired mantra, of America is a racist country who does not care about their minority populations. Its just crap, you know it, I know it.

Most of racism would cease to exist if Americans saw minority populations at TRYING to better themselves and their condition. They have PLENTY of assistance to do so, it is a choice that is made to stay status quo because status quo means a free ride.

And aren't we getting ready to nominate and possibly elect a BLACK man as president?

[Nommo]

How, exactly, do you know that said individuals
"CHOOSE" not to work? You have asked, yes? How do you know so well how these people live? Again, you have asked? All this about cars and playstations, how do you substantiate such claims, you are a census taker? A town cryer, perhaps?

America is a nation with a racist culture. I am guessing that this fact is beyond your recognition. Let me give you an example. Black people engaged in a long protracted struggle for their enfranchisement and to be free from the jim crow laws. Many people died, many people lost homes and employment, were attacked by racist mobs and law enforcement, were injured or killed in church bombings and the like.

What did America do while these people took to the streets for their rights? America retrenched in its racism, took an even harder line and suggested the Black people keep waiting, America was not ready.

How come you got nothing to say about corporate welfare? How come you got nothing to say about all the generations of whites who grew up here protected by law from having to compete with "minorities" for work or education? So much for "self made" and "self reliant" types.

You are neither about civil nor human rights. What you are is a cheap voyuer, who entertains himself cataloging minority behaviors or at least what you imagine to be minority behaviors.

Stop censoring, Huffpo mods, for all the racist claptrap you allow on these comment pages, you either need to be more careful or more reflective about your tasks.

[Poboy]

Nommo,

I drive through Baltimore frequently, and have done so for years. For example, its Inner Harbor project I witnessed the completion of each shinny phase, including the building of its ballpark at Camden Yard.

I drive through the neighborhoods, because I ALWAYS want to see how Black people live. Though I have been out of the area for about six years, I just came back.

I went back to Baltimore and was SHOCKED.

Black people in Baltimore live in SHEAR DEVISTATION, the worst I have seen, and I have seen Black communities throughout the country.

Wilson33 is a propagandist who lives in denial or delusion is disgusting!