Former New Orleans Saints player Will Smith’s tragic death in a road rage incident has resurfaced after eight years. Cardell Hayes, who was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2016, appealed his conviction following a Supreme Court ruling. The ruling stated that convicting someone with a less-than-unanimous vote is unconstitutional. Hayes was granted a new trial and recently found guilty by a unanimous vote.
This case sheds light on a Jim Crow-era law that aimed to suppress the votes of Black people on juries. It is a stark reminder that racism still persists in America, despite claims made by Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley that the country has never been racist. Unfortunately, Haley’s view is not isolated, as many believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are the problems plaguing American society.
In fact, former President Donald Trump received a standing ovation when he vowed to terminate every diversity, equity, and inclusion program if reelected. This sentiment has resulted in legislation across the country that restricts hiring practices and the curriculum taught in schools. Utah Governor Spencer Cox recently signed a bill outlawing diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in state government and universities.
To deny the harm caused by these laws and beliefs is to ignore the racist history of the United States. The State of Louisiana vs. Cardell Hayes serves as a prime example of the impact of racist laws. Louisiana implemented a law that allowed overwhelming majority verdicts to count the same as unanimous ones in an attempt to maintain white supremacy. Oregon adopted a similar law in 1934, influenced by xenophobic editorials published in The Oregonian.
These bigoted laws remained in effect until 2020, resulting in an unjust trial for Hayes, who admitted to killing Will Smith. The tragedy of Smith’s death was compounded by the fact that Hayes will likely serve the remainder of his sentence in the Louisiana State Penitentiary, known for its use of convict labor. Despite these glaring examples of racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion are wrongly blamed for the problems in America. It is clear that the country has a long way to go in addressing its racist past and present.
