Obama nominates Latina to Supreme Court
In what is sure to be a contentious debate, Obama nominated Federal Appeals Judge, Sonia Sotomayor to replace Justice Souter. Some are hailing this decision as a victory for gender and racial equality. Others are worried about some of her previous statements regarding race, gender, and applying personal bias when interpreting constitutional law. Still others claim that the philosophical slant of the Court will be left unchanged.
What do you think? What criteria should be applied to selecting a Supreme Court Justice? Do race and gender have a role to play? Or should unbiased interpretation and strict application of the Constitution trump all other considerations?
Read here.
FederalistLady said:
Maybe because I am Puerto Rican born in the Bronx and raised by a single mom, I relate totally with Sotomayor. I too went to Catholic Schools and eventually left the city for a middle class suburban life. Although I understand that her comments are deemed by some to be racial, I believe her comments are sincere because I share them. I think we all share them if you think about it. I am better because of my experiences, to judge certain things better than others that haven’t had my experiences. An example may be a doctors ability to diagnose and treat a person’s illness differently than a computer technician who is better able to diagnose a problem with your computer. I hope she doesn’t believe she is superior than others in all cases. None of us are.
I was shocked that she would be a nominee. I expected worse. I watched her make her speech yesterday and she seemed to be a very genuine and sincere woman who recognizes and respects the strength of her mother and family. I just didn’t think she appeared to be a racially bigotted woman who didn’t understand how to interpret law and the constitution. In fact, it’s our constitution that empowered us both and many like us to lift us from the economic circumstances that we came from. She’s not only a Yale and Princeton Scholar, but a beneficiary of our constitution. I expect she will understand that. I pray that I will not be proven wrong.
Also, my family are democrats. I don’t think they realize that their personal VALUES are more in sync with the conservatives. Ronald Reagan helped me realize that I really belonged to the conservative side. It amazes me that there are so many people that don’t realize it. I am wondering, if her life is so much like mine, how is it possible that she hasn’t realized it too. I am hoping that she has enough conservative VALUES to keep the philosophical slant of the court to the right.
May 27th, 2009 at 9:29 am
Annette Green said:
She must not be too far left if George H.W. Bush elected her to District court. I grew up in Los Angeles, and went to school with african Americans and hispanics with manditory busing. That was a big mistake from the liberals. I went from A’s and B’s to C’s and D’s in one semester. Anyway, I never see color when I meet someone, co-worker or voting for someone. I want to be taking the college exams, testing, and acknowledged the same way when applying for a job, and not be chosen because of my color or race. I’m a Italian/Lebanese American, and when I was being bused to east LA all the hispanics harassed me because they thought I was hispanic, and saw me talking to my white friends from my regular school. It’s very sad our country is so divided and all the people who were misguided by Obama’s wonderful speeches for change. I hope and pray this change is for all of us (The United States), not just for a few. I will support my President in office and his adminisration, but I will make my voice known when I see him hurting our soldiers and our country as I did with our past Presidents.
May 27th, 2009 at 11:24 am
FederalistLady said:
Ok I was willing to go out of the limb to be on Sotomayer’s side, especially regarding racism because to me she did not at all sound like the likes of Rev Wright, Jessie Jackson or Al Sharpton. Today, I learned that she believes gun rights are for the military only and that the constitution does not allow for citizens to own guns. That’s just stupid!!! The bad guys are going to get them no matter what anyone does just like the drug addicts get drugs everyday. The good guys should have the opportunity to defend themselves. I am definitely against her nomination and hope that the republicans and democrats feel the same way and block her appointment. I really believe our country is in danger when the president wants to bully companies into selling their shares to the government and then nominates someone to the supreme court that will take away a citizens ability to defend themselves. TOTO, I DON’T THINK WE’RE IN KANSAS ANYMORE. Are we in CUBA???
May 28th, 2009 at 7:56 am
Cherie Overbaugh said:
You are right on, Mildred….An Excellent Post. Agree 100%
May 29th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Mark Hibbert said:
My better half & I are caucasion, yet we have far more friends, acquaintances & clients than of our own race. We are concerned about genuine principles - not wishful thinking. Regardless of what positions she has held in the past (or gave them to her), it’s necessary to listen to what she says NOW - not what we hope she actually MEANS. Mildred is definitely “right on”
May 31st, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Charlie said:
For Mildred, Annette, Cherie, and Mark-You have all posted timely, thoughtful, courteous, and above all VALID comments on the Sotomayor nomination. She is clearly a solid candidate, and has a basically excellent resume.
Unfortunately I think President Obama is exploiting the fact that Sotomayor is an Hispanic Woman in a transparent attempt to pander to Women and Hispanics, two very important voting blocs.
If I am right, then just over 100 days into his FIRST TERM you are witnessing the opening salvo of the Obama 2012 reelection campaign.
May 31st, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Charlie said:
A quick clarification regarding my post (above).If judicial qualifications were the sole qualification for a nominee, then the President had a full menu from which to select, including Judge Sotomayor. Therefore the reason for selecting Sotomayor must lie elsewhere, and I believe the answer is Gender/Ethnicity for political gain.
May 31st, 2009 at 1:19 pm
John V. Martin said:
Supreme Court? If she can play tennis.. maybe a tennis court…but there is no way she belongs in any court law.
June 2nd, 2009 at 4:50 pm
mike said:
Need to round up all the nigs,mexicans.and whatever non-whites that are left and set them on fire!
June 9th, 2009 at 2:04 pm