Action Quote by Clarence Thomas
![“Government cannot make us equal; it can only recognize, respect, and protect us as equal before the law. That [affirmative action] programs may have been motivated, in part, by good intentions cannot provide refuge from the principle that under our Constitution, the government may not make…” quote by Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f06/clarence-thomas-7661_action_government-cannot-make-us-equal-it-can-o_2098533.jpg)
“Government cannot make us equal; it can only recognize, respect, and protect us as equal before the law. That [affirmative action] programs may have been motivated, in part, by good intentions cannot provide refuge from the principle that under our Constitution, the government may not make distinctions on the basis of race.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Confirmation Hearing, US Supreme Court, 1991
Government should treat everyone equally under law, not create programs that differentiate by race.
In simple terms: Equality before law, no race‑based distinctions.
Key Takeaway
Advocate for color‑blind policies.
Themes
equality
law
government
civil rights
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
legal
political
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- court cases
- public administration
- civil rights advocacy
Key Concepts
Constitutional principle
affirmative action
neutrality
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we address historic disadvantages without race‑based programs?
- Is true equality possible without acknowledging differences?
A Different Perspective
May overlook systemic inequities that persist without targeted measures.
![“The Constitution does not vest in Congress the authority to protect society from every bad act that might befall it…[I]f followed to its logical extreme, [this approach] would result in an unwarranted expansion of federal power.” quote by Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f68/clarence-thomas-7661_approach_the-constitution-does-not-vest-in-congre_86587.jpg)
![“A theory deeply etched in our law [is that] a free society prefers to punish the few who abuse the rights of free speech after they break the law rather than to throttle them and all others beforehand.” quote by Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/939/clarence-thomas-7661_abuse_a-theory-deeply-etched-in-our-law-is-tha_407519.jpg)
