By: Newt Gingrich

Examiner Columnist | 7/3/09 6:40 AM


Just in time for Independence Day, the Supreme Court has come out with a decision that forces supporters of racial and ethnic quotas to reacquaint themselves with the truths of our nation’s birth certificate, the Declaration of Independence.

In Ricci v. DeStafano, the high court ruled that the City of New Haven Connecticut was wrong to deny a promotion to firefighter Frank Ricci on the basis of his race. Ricci, who is white, quit his second job and studied 13 hours a day to pass a test for promotion within the fire department. But because no African-Americans scored high enough on the test to be promoted, the powers-that-be in New Haven tossed out the scores and promoted no one.

The Supreme Court said this was wrong and thus dealt a stiff blow to those who would respond to the question, “Where do our rights come from?” with the answer, “Government.”

When you believe that government is the source of rights, government – even government with “empathy” – is perfectly justified in denying the equality of its subjects. It can treat someone like Frank Ricci differently on the basis of his race or ethnicity because Frank Ricci and every other person living under that government has no more and no less dignity, responsibility and worth than government decides to grant them.

But the United States of America is not that kind of country.

Despite the best efforts of the elite media to portray it as one, the source of our rights as Americans is not a theological or religious question. It is a fundamental question of political history.

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