Under the overmechanical assumptions of affirmative-action opponents themselves (and putting aside the racial IQ theories of Murray and some others), blacks would move up the list, and whites would move down.
( ( Under ( ( the ( overmechanical assumptions ) ) ( of ( ( affirmative-action opponents ) themselves ) ) ) ) ( ( -LRB- ( and ( ( ( putting aside ) ( ( the ( racial ( IQ theories ) ) ) ( of ( ( Murray and ) ( some others ) ) ) ) ) -RRB- ) ) ) ( , ( blacks ( ( ( ( ( would ( ( move up ) ( the list ) ) ) , ) and ) ( whites ( would ( move down ) ) ) ) . ) ) ) ) )
(ROOT (S (PP (IN Under) (NP (NP (DT the) (JJ overmechanical) (NNS assumptions)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NP (NN affirmative-action) (NNS opponents)) (ADVP (PRP themselves)))))) (PRN (-LRB- -LRB-) (CC and) (S (VP (VBG putting) (PRT (RP aside)) (NP (NP (DT the) (JJ racial) (NNP IQ) (NNS theories)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NP (NNP Murray)) (CC and) (NP (DT some) (NNS others))))))) (-RRB- -RRB-)) (, ,) (NP (NNS blacks)) (VP (MD would) (VP (VB move) (PRT (RP up)) (NP (DT the) (NN list)))) (, ,) (CC and) (S (NP (NNS whites)) (VP (MD would) (VP (VB move) (PRT (RP down))))) (. .)))
Support for affirmative action laws has declined slightly over the past few years.
( ( Support ( for ( affirmative ( action laws ) ) ) ) ( ( has ( ( declined slightly ) ( over ( the ( past ( few years ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NP (NN Support)) (PP (IN for) (NP (JJ affirmative) (NN action) (NNS laws)))) (VP (VBZ has) (VP (VBN declined) (ADVP (RB slightly)) (PP (IN over) (NP (DT the) (JJ past) (JJ few) (NNS years))))) (. .)))