True or False: The government is allowed to classify individuals based on race without scrutiny.

The statement is false because the government is generally not permitted to classify individuals based on race without scrutiny due to the principles established by the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment in the U.S. Constitution. This clause mandates that any classification based on race should undergo strict scrutiny, which is the highest level of judicial review. Under this standard, the government must demonstrate that any racial classification serves a compelling governmental interest and is narrowly tailored to achieve that interest.

This rigorous scrutiny is in place to protect against discrimination and ensure equality under the law. Classifications based on race can only be justified in very limited circumstances, typically relating to remedial actions to address past injustices or discrimination.

In contrast, classifications based on non-suspect categories (e.g., age or economic status) may be subject to more lenient forms of scrutiny, but race falls into a category that requires careful examination to prevent unfair treatment. Therefore, the idea that the government can classify individuals based on race without any form of scrutiny does not align with constitutional protections against discrimination.