Louisiana v. Callais · ¶61

In isolation, “opportunity” could refer to either a desired outcome or a chance to achieve that outcome. As used in § 2(b), however, “opportunity” must mean a chance to achieve a desired result, because the Voting Rights Act does not guarantee equal outcomes. See White, 412 U. S., at 765–766. Accordingly, “less opportunity” must mean a lesser chance. In ordinary usage, “less opportunity” often takes on such meaning. One might say, for example, that men under 6 feet tall have less opportunity to play in the NBA than those who stand at least 6 feet 7 inches (the current median).

preliminary print (page proof)
Source edition
Passage preview. Read in context for the complete text, notes and references.