Obamas say affirmative action allowed them to ‘prove we belonged’ in college The former first lady said her “heart breaks for any young person out there who’s wondering what their future holds” after the end of affirmative action. By Madeleine Hubbard
Former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle on Thursday criticized the Supreme Court’s ruling against affirmative action by stating that they benefited from the policy themselves.
Michelle Obama, who went to Princeton for her bachelor’s degree and Harvard for her J.D., wrote in her statement, which was significantly longer than her husband’s, that she had wondered whether people thought she got into school because of affirmative action.
“But the fact is this: I belonged,” she also wrote. “So often, we just accept that money, power, and privilege are perfectly justifiable forms of affirmative action, while kids growing up like I did are expected to compete when the ground is anything but level.”
The former first lady also said her “heart breaks for any young person out there who’s wondering what their future holds” after the end of affirmative action.
Barack Obama only wrote three sentences about the ruling: “Like any policy, affirmative action wasn’t perfect. But it allowed generations of students like Michelle and me to prove we belonged. Now it’s up to all of us to give young people the opportunities they deserve — and help students everywhere benefit from new perspectives.”
President Joe Biden also criticized the court’s decision.
“Discrimination still exists in America,” he said multiple times.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump celebrated the ruling.
“This is a great day for America. People with extraordinary ability and everything else necessary for success, including future greatness for our Country, are finally being rewarded,” he wrote on Truth Social. “We’re going back to all merit-based—and that’s the way it should be!”
Comments are closed.
