the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
Apr 11, 2022
Ketanji Brown Jackson became the first black woman appointed to the Supreme Court in its 233 year history. Far too long to wait! Jackson is still only the third black person appointed to the Court, out of a total of 116, and the sixth woman.
Many people are glad to see a black woman on the Supreme Court, that it’s one more institution that has been pried open. But just as the election of Barack Obama did not change the nature of the presidency, the appointment of Jackson does not change the nature of the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court is held up as a “blind arbiter of justice,” but it is anything but. For starters, what kind of body supposedly representing the population carries lifetime appointments?
The Court is an institution that, over these 233 years, has defended the interests of the ruling class above all. The court affirmed the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, upheld slavery for decades, then segregation for decades after that. A conservative court removed segregation and granted the right to abortion—but only when forced by the pressure of the Civil Rights and then Women’s movements.
These are the only forces we can depend on: ourselves, working people, organized and fighting for what we need. The Supreme Court, and elected officials, will not save us. They can only represent our enemy.