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Graylight · 51-55, F
Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857): Hands down the worst Supreme Court decision ever, Dred Scott held that African Americans, whether free men or slaves, could not be considered American citizens. The ruling undid the Missouri Compromise, barred laws that would free slaves, and all but guaranteed that there would be no political solution to slavery. The opinion even included a ridiculous "parade of horribles" that would appear if Scott were recognized as a citizen, unspeakable scenarios like African Americans being able to vacation, hold public meetings, and exercise their free speech rights.
While this ruling was deemed Constitutional (as most of them are), it proved to be a dark ruling for the US.
While this ruling was deemed Constitutional (as most of them are), it proved to be a dark ruling for the US.
Diotrephes · 70-79, M
@Graylight In the Dred Scott case, Congress could have simply freed all of the slaves and made them citizens with the stroke of a pen. That's what really happened in 1867.
The SCOTUS decision was right under the law at that time. The Plessy v. Ferguson decision was 100% wrong under the law and it's taken about a century to correct it.
The SCOTUS decision was right under the law at that time. The Plessy v. Ferguson decision was 100% wrong under the law and it's taken about a century to correct it.
Graylight · 51-55, F
@Diotrephes Yes, the SCOTUS at that time rendered a completely constitutionally sound decision in Dredd Scott and so technically, it could be removed from the list of materially poor decisions. Ideologically, though, the current was shifting and rather than ride those rough waters into a new era, it delayed the inevitable and rendered what is still today a morally questionable outcome.
originnone · 61-69, M
@Graylight there really is no debating this....