Larry Rosenthal, Chair of the Center for Right-Wing Studies, has coined the term “legal vigilantism” to describe a new form of right-wing activism. For example, after the Supreme Court’s recent decision banning affirmative action, America First Legal sent 200 letters threatening to sue law schools if they demonstrated any racial preference during their admissions. A recent article in The Guardian describes the phenomenon. Rosenthal explains the origins of legal vigilantism in the Texas law banning abortion and providing rewards for those who bring charges against those who have abortions or help provide access to abortion, a law “‘reminiscent of the bounty hunting images of American western movies.’ Rosenthal believes the right’s legal vigilantism will now move from the abortion model to the university admissions model.”
August 1, 2023