Slate Daily Feed Amicus | One Amendment Explains It All
Dec 13, 2025
Civil rights attorney Sherrilyn Ifill, founding director of the 14th Amendment Center for Law and Democracy, passionately discusses the significance of the 14th Amendment in shaping equality in America. She connects current political rhetoric, particularly from Trump, to a worrying assault on Reconstruction amendments. Ifill emphasizes civic courage and engagement as essential defenses against anti-democratic forces. She outlines practical steps individuals can take, from running for local office to using storytelling for accountability in the community.
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14th Amendment As The Second Founding
- The 14th Amendment is the Reconstruction-era refounding that enshrined equality and birthright citizenship in the Constitution.
- Undermining it attacks the possibility of multiracial democracy and the project's constitutional core.
Resistance Was An Anti-Democracy Project
- Resistance to civil-rights advances was an anti-democracy movement that deliberately sought to undo the 14th Amendment's project.
- That long campaign explains why current attacks feel newly crude but are historically continuous.
Free-Speech Panic Distracted From Reconstruction
- The First Amendment panic (free-speech absolutism) distracted attention while Reconstruction protections were eroded.
- Sherrilyn notes deliberate manipulation of First Amendment claims by actors who prioritized profit or politics over equality.
