In her weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter, Kimberly Atkins Stohr argues that while the ideals of the American experiment—justice, equality, and inalienable rights—are sound, they have never been fully realized for all citizens, particularly marginalized groups. The article discusses the recent killings of two white millennials by federal agents in Minneapolis, which contradicts the narrative that only dangerous immigrants are targeted and serves as a stark reminder of the pervasive injustice in the U.S.
Atkins Stohr emphasizes that many individuals, both citizens and immigrants, have had to navigate a society where they must conform to survive, facing discrimination and violence that often goes unchecked. The historical context of complacency and the lack of sustained action following events like George Floyd’s murder are highlighted, exposing the danger of virtue signaling rather than genuine engagement in social justice.
She argues that the government’s aggressive tactics against immigrant communities echo the oppressive practices of America’s past, suggesting that the American system needs fundamental reconstruction to uphold its founding ideals genuinely. This requires a commitment to long-term change, rejecting systemic roots of injustice, and grounding American morality in the humanity of its diverse population, rather than in a false sense of superiority or supremacy.
Atkins Stohr calls for a collective awakening and sustained action against these injustices, pushing for a transformation that acknowledges uncomfortable truths about America’s history.
