Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith took to social media last week to make the stunning declaration that the Three Fifths Compromise—a deal made by the framers of the Constitution that gave southern states greater power by counting three-fifths of each enslaved person when determining representation in Congress —a “great thing.” Beckwith’s remarks came after members of the state’s Black Caucus cited the compromise during debate over legislation to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in schools, state government, and health profession licensing

Beckwith claimed that the compromise was “designed to make sure that justice was equal for all people and equality really meant equality for all.” That assertion has generated well-deserved backlash