Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the values embodied in our Constitution must serve as our compass as we stand at a stop where justice and equality must meet. This specific case is not just about denying the need for progress or ignoring challenges that minority communities face. However, it is about declaring the truth that discrimination, in any type of form and against a person, is wrong. Initially, let us discuss the history that protects Mr.Allan Bakke from the injustice that he faces on the stand today.
After being enacted in 1868, the 14th Amendment guarantees that no state would "deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." This amendment was intended to ensure that everyone, regardless of race, would have equal access to opportunities and to undermine systems of racial injustice. The dedication to evaluating people based on their character and ability rather than their skin color is a fundamental component of American values that must be met. Unfortunately, Mr. Allan Bakke was denied this amendment as the University of California would not accept him, as they believed that the image of the school was far more important.
Furthermore, Allan Bakke, a qualified applicant with a GPA of 3.5 and amazing test scores he received on his Medical College Admission Test, was denied admission to the University of California’s medical school solely because of his race. The school admitted students under a quota system that reserved spaces exclusively for minority applicants. While the intention behind this policy was to address historical inequalities, its execution contradicts the very principles it seeks to uphold. By rejecting Mr. Bakke on the basis of his race, the University replaced one form of discrimination with another.
Although this country has a tragic history of discrimination, it tells us that creating new victims is not the answer to injustice. Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., promoted a society in which people are evaluated on the basis of their character rather than their skin color. With the University of California going against his statement, the school brings society back to a time where skin color is the only concept that makes a person.
The promise of equality in the Constitution is clear and absolute. Nowhere does it say that a person has equal protection, unless it serves a greater good. If we allow race to dictate who is given opportunities and who is not, we risk undermining the very foundation of fairness and justice that our laws are meant to protect. By doing so, we send a message that equality is conditional, and that goes against everything our country strives to stand for.
The University of California is going to try and argue that by denying Mr.Allan Bakke it is to address past injustices and promote diversity. While the intention is to support students who have been overlooked before, the focus is more on race instead of one’s academic qualifications.
All in all, this case is about achieving diversity in a way that upholds principles of justice and equality, not diminishing the importance of diversity itself. Like everyone else, Allan Bakke deserves to be evaluated on his qualifications, not judged or penalized based on the color of his skin. Would you want an exceptionally qualified doctor to be denied the opportunity to pursue his dreams and contribute positively to society, simply because of his race? If not, then I urge you to do what is right and give Allan Bakke the chance he deserves.
Thank you.
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