Mock Trial: Plessy vs. Ferguson

 
  Today in class we had a mock trial that deals with the allowance of the state legislations to uphold segregation based upon that segregation is not a violation of the 13th or 14th amendment.  The defendants brought up the idea that segregation is illegal because they Plessy's 13th and 14th amendment rights were violated.  They also had the idea that Plessy's race allowed him to sit on the white first class train car because he is only 1/8th african american, which means that he is mostly white and should be viewed as a white man.  The defense also brought up that because the train is an equal carrier car, all people have the right to sit wherever they want if they have the ability to pay for their ticket.

     The state used the jim crow laws of the time, and the idea that because white's are more wealthy, and blacks cannot pay as much for items as the whites can, the idea that a black and white train car should be allowed, therefore it is constitutionally allowed because isn't violating anyone's rights, it is just based upon economical and monetary income.  The public conveyances law had to provide accommodations for whites and blacks, but they HAD to be separate.  The segregation of people is allowed by law, therefore it is De Jure Segregation, which means legislation segregation.  

      In my own personal opinion, I don't believe that segregation should be allowed, and it is very concerning to me that at this time in American society, the constitutional law that was supposed to protect ALL citizens of the united states, still allowed for segregation, a form of slavery after slavery was outlawed previously by the 13th amendment.  Concerning the actual trial and both team's cases about the topic, both teams worked very well and made extremely concise and appropriate ideas.  I think even though in reality the State won, I would personally agree more with the defense, and I also think that in our trial, the defense too made a better case that followed and manipulated the law in a better way.  

If you would like to find more information about the case, you can read a brief overview from wikipedia following this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plessy_v._Ferguson

Civil Rights in College Sports?

      In the world of college sports, the most important thing to a college coach is winning.  Their entire career is based off of their ability to produce and achieve success in the form of turning athletes into successful people in the real world, but mainly winning championships.  They are hired to lead a program to new heights and win championships, not lose or bring about an environment in a program of complacency and contempt with being average.  With all of this being said, a division one athlete goes into a program knowing all the above, and from personal experience being a division one lacrosse player, that fact is clear and imprinted in one's mind numerous times.  
        A female field hockey coach at the #7 ranked school in the country, University of Iowa has been fired after 14 years of service for seemingly acting 'too mean'.  The attorney for coach Griesbaum wrote, "We understand that the athletic department needs to address the concerns of student athletes and that player abuse is a serious issue. However, it undermines the entire system to enable generic complaints about a female coach based on behavior that so often pales in comparison to the behavior of male coaches." 

         In American history for the past 50 years, the push for gender equality has been a top issue in social areas, and after many advances and equality type legislation and stereotypes have been resolved,  I find it very concerning and quite baffling as to why a woman coach who has a legacy of excellence and success, along with players who have been molded and flourished in the real world, is has been fired for doing what any male coach does, in using any technique possible to get the most out of her players.  It upsets me that a woman coach is held to complete standards than a male coach, and that she is being penalized for trying to win, which was the main reason why she was even hired as the head field hockey coach of that University.  
        The next couple weeks should yield a response from the University Investigation team that was put in charge of the incident and decide the exact legal reason behind her firing, but I completely support and back coach Griesbaum filing civil rights violations and complaints about her random firing.  

If you would like to read more about the issue and look at the article I used to find out about this issue, follow the link below. 

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/apnewsbreak-iowa-rejects-calls-reinstate-coach-25895692