🏛️ The Separate Car Act Does Not Violate the 14th Amendment
There has been a legal challenge to the Separate Car Act, with opponents claiming it violates the 14th Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. However, this argument is unfounded when examined in light of the law, constitutional boundaries, and legal precedent.
Understanding the Separate but Equal Doctrine
The Separate Equal Doctrine allows for equal protection under the law for all individuals—it simply does not abolish distinctions based on color. While the 14th Amendment gives every individual the right to due process and American rights, it does not specify that African Americans and white citizens have to be co-equals in society.
Equal Protection Still Applies
The Separate Car Act does not violate any due process laws or remove any rights guaranteed to African Americans. It maintains that public and federal facilities may be separated by race as long as equal services are provided, and no basic rights are infringed upon. Thus, the law falls well within the authority of federal and state legislators.
Legislators' Rights to Enact Separation Laws
Both federal and state legislators have the right to pass laws that keep races separated in public services, so long as these laws do not violate the core rights guaranteed to all Americans under the Constitution. The Separate Car Act does not strip away due process or equal protection—it simply acknowledges societal preferences and protects individual choice without infringing on anyone’s rights.
Hall v. DeCuir (1877): A Relevant Precedent
In Hall v. DeCuir (1877), the Supreme Court addressed a Louisiana state law that required equal treatment for passengers on public transportation. The Court struck the law down—not because it opposed equality, but because it conflicted with federal authority over interstate commerce. Importantly, the ruling recognized that the government cannot force individuals to treat everyone equally in terms of personal association.
Read the full case here: Hall v. DeCuir | 95 U.S. 485 (1877)
This decision clearly shows that neither federal nor state governments have the constitutional right to dictate personal preferences or force people to like or associate with others.
No Rights Are Taken Away
African Americans still retain every basic right afforded to them by the Constitution, including the right to due process and legal protections. The Separate Car Act does not infringe on any of these rights—it merely separates public services in a way that reflects individual choice and legislative discretion.
There is no federal statutory law requiring that people must treat everyone the same. While equality in access and services must be guaranteed, social association is not mandated by the Constitution. The government cannot and should not tell people who they must or must not be around.
Conclusion: Uphold the Law
This issue has already been before the Supreme Court in a nearly identical context. In Hall v. DeCuir, the Court ruled in favor of limited government overreach and individual rights of association.
I respectfully ask the highest court in the land to rule in favor of the State of Louisiana. The Separate Equal Care Act does not violate the 14th Amendment, and does not strip anyone of constitutional rights. People retain due process, freedom of choice, and equal legal protections. This law merely reflects that people should not be forced into environments they are uncomfortable in, and that states have the right to legislate accordingly.
Let us not confuse equal rights with forced association. The Constitution protects freedom—not mandated integration.
I rest my case.
Citation Hall v. DeCuir | 95 U.S. 485 (1877)
https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/hall-v-decuir
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