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Have changes implemented by the Trump era Justice Department affected civil rights and if so, how have civil rights been affected?

For decades, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has used court-enforced agreements to protect civil rights, successfully desegregating school systems, reforming police departments, ensuring access for the disabled and defending religious freedom (Huseman & Waldman). In 2016 the many of the new first-time voters exercised their right to vote, hoping to be able to see how “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” (Jefferson) take place in a free and democratic country. Since the election in November 2016, the general concept is that the country is in a continued ride on a roller-coaster where many core values are compromised, and more conflicts arise. Changes implemented by the Justice Department under President Trump are having the overall effect of reducing the enforcement of civil rights laws. In the following pages, an illustration on how the Justice Department under President Trump is reducing the enforcement of civil rights laws is given using several examples. The conflict of interest and how it affects the political, economic and social system will also be reviewed. Suggested approaches to this conflict of interest will be given. Comment by ajean: If this is your thesis, it should be either at the beginning of your Introduction paragraph or at the end. This alone is your thesis. A thesis should not be more than one sentence and it should cover one topic only. Comment by ajean: None of this is not needed; the thesis suggests this. Comment by ajean: This is vague and it seems that you are going in a different direction to your thesis. I suggest that this not be included.

The Justice Department under Trump weakens civil rights. There are numerous specific examples of the overall trend by the Trump / Sessions Department of Justice to weaken civil rights.  In just one six-day period in 2017, all the following occurred: In cooperation with the Civil Rights office of the Department of Education, guidance clarifying Title IX protections for transgender students was rescinded (source citation).  Sessions withdrew a Justice Department memo stating the goal of reducing and eventually ending the use of private prisons (source citation). The Justice Department withdrew their opposition to a Texas Voter ID law after previously prevailing in multiple federal courts which found the law to be racially discriminatory (source citation). Despite this, the district court rejected the new position of the Sessions Justice Department (LCCH). This contributes to the weakening of civil rights by the DOJ. Comment by ajean: How? You need to explain.

History shows that when there is little or no civil rights enforcement, the government becomes overly powerful and a risk to democracy. Abraham Lincoln in his speech “Gettysburg Address” defined the act of Democracy as “government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth” (Lincoln 121). Democracy has become the first political system that enthusiastically endorsed non-violence.  It does so because of the widespread economic and social benefits that non-violence brings and sustains. The risk is in creating a loop of violence and power. By depressing minorities and allowing racism there is a risk of turning the society into a violent one.  The way to restrain violence is by enforcement of the law and equal application of penalties in the justice system that does not unfairly hurt minorities. Unrestricted power by government, at the local, state, or federal levels is damaging to the very people government theoretically serve. This is evident from the current situation of civil rights compromising that takes place now in Syria where there is no value for civilians and civil rights. Iran is another example where once there were some consideration for the rights of all had been including the right to life and has since turned to a place with none. This is a result of a government who eliminated any sense of checks and balances and where human lives have no weight. Such actions contribute to weakening of civil rights.

Regarding the recent changes at the DOJ that have created a lack of interest in aggressively addressing issues of civil rights, any potential solution in the short term is complex.  In the long term, only a change of administration will probably allow for proper protection of civil rights. Part of the solution currently is for government watchdog groups to identify the most egregious civil rights violations and bring lawsuits on behalf of the victims to protect their civil rights.  These lawsuits will at times be targeted at local entities such as rogue police departments and at other times the target may be the DOJ itself for failure to enforce federal civil rights law. On the local and state level, constituents can lobby for funds and oversight to protect civil rights and for funding to enable training of police and other government workers regarding proper and fair treatment of all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, etc. A third part of the short-term solution to resolve and prevent civil rights conflicts is for the so called “fourth branch of government”, or more properly, the media to do a thorough job of exposing unaddressed civil rights violations. This should help people see the value of protecting civil rights and focus on doing so.

In conclusion Overall, there is evident to prove that the Trump government, in particular, the Department of justice is weakening civil rights. The changes implemented by the Justice Department under President Trump are having the overall effect of reducing the enforcement of civil rights laws. Several examples help illustrate the overall trend by the Trump / Sessions Department of Justice to weaken civil rights. A number of solutions that include different conflict styles, conflict framing issues, different influences and points of view, and alternative techniques where the psychological, legal, and management aspects are given with a common goal; to protect civil rights.  This goal is a positive and constructive handling of conflict with a successful outcome that keeps society healthy and unified. Let us join hands to ensure that the civil rights are protected to benefit every person living in the U.S.

Works Cited Comment by ajean: This should be started on a new page.

Davis, Michael, and Andrew Stark. Conflict of Interest in the Professions. Oxford University Press, 2001.