At Yale, Sotomayor Won Apology From Law Firm For Racist Comment

Los Angeles Times:

The early White House story line on Sonia Sotomayor emphasizes her pragmatism and a cautious, measured approach to the law developed over a years-long climb from exceedingly modest circumstances to becoming the first Latino nominee to the Supreme Court.

But an incident in the fall of 1978 illustrates another side of Sotomayor. Then a daring and assertive Yale University law student, she took a stand against a white-shoe Washington law firm that could have jeopardized her career.

Read the whole story: Los Angeles Times

Comments

[TommyMcCarthy]

And I won't.....­..back....­.......dow­n
tm

[UltraClassic]

Well there you have it. If that does not qualify her for this position, nothing does. (HA!)

[1jchrist]

I like her already. Not afraid to take on the establishment. That's what I'm talking about. She pulled herself up from her own bootstraps. I admire her for that. You don't become the first minority in anything without dealing with a bunch of BS along the way.

[randman2009]

That's the problem with affirmative action. It taints the accomplishments of all minorities and cheapens their achievements by making them seem too easily earned or undeserved.

[Durango]

Yeah, being second in her class was only because of affirmative action.

Get with reality.

All those white males in all those law school classes for all those years only got there because of their superior achievements.

Being white males had nothing to do with a society that would only accept white males?

Why don't you question their achievements?

P.s. Especially when white males were writing the tests that judged a persons qualifications. No bias there.

[randman2009]

My point exactly. She is a smart accomplished woman who earned what she has achieved. But everyone knows the bar is lower for minorities, so her accomplishments, as an individual, are cheapened because they demand and expect less of minorities. It robs people like Sonia of the prestige that should come from her accomplishments.

[salsmom]

just as much as admitting someone into a school because their rich Caucasian father happened to be an alum and big donor - this individual would not have gotten in but for "legacy" and a hefty donation? Does this form of affirmative action taint every young white male admitted to that school?

[randman2009]

RIch and caucasian arent synonymous. Liberals always like to compare legacy preference to AA, but thats a completely illogical comparison.

[pghnappyrhino]

the "problem" with affirmative action is that we needed it in the first place.

chances are, people with opinions like your's are already too willing to cheapen our accompishments.

[randman2009]

Sadly we did need it in the past. Time to let it go.

[bibimimi]

She's prettier than even John Roberts, Jr.

[indc]

Courage too in standing up to academics and white shoes proves even more to like about her

also see

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2009/05/27/2009-05-27_sotomayor_mother_tells_news_overcoming_odds.html

[ProudlyConservative42]

And yet, she somehow has managed to be nominated for the Supreme Court, in spite of the discrimination and bias. Another red herring headline.

[Merckx]

She managed it by standing up to STOOPID comments like those made from the establishment law firms of the past. good for her and good for us.

[Durango]

And she will withstand the STOOPID comments by the Republicans today.

Even more good for her.

[UltraClassic]

What's going to be interesting is how all these black and latino politicos in high places continue to beat the drumb of the evil white male and how he need go to the back of the line or in some cases, just get out of the line.

[pghnappyrhino]

"And yet, she somehow has managed to be nominated for the Supreme Court, in spite of the discrimination and bias. Another red herring headline."

why should she, as an american citizen, HAVE to endure the discrimination and bias that still occurs?

are white males REALLY that afraid of not having ALL of the power?

[ProudlyConservative42]

It went right over your head, didn't it.

[munki]

Luv it! For those experienced will understand­...

Today is much much much better than what it was before... but it takes someone like her to do it!

[eden4barack08]

Sonia's one tough, no nonsense cookie. She won't take chit from anybody. It's gonna be fun watching the confirmation hearings, she'll have Rethugs crawling under their desks.

[icemilkcoffee]

Hard to believe 30 years later, the troglodyte republicans are still saying the exact same things about her as those 'white shoe' lawters did back then.

[MacGregor57]

Although we all went to Yale, it's fun to see Ms. Sotomayor in front of one of my grandads Princeton Tigers.

[wordvarc]

"white-shoe?"

[papapj]

"white-shoe" = Pink toe...work it out...

[Aabby]

stop

[hoham]

"White-shoe" law firms is a nickname for upper-crust, hoity-toity law firms. I think the phrase comes from the white buckskin shoes partners would wear in the summer.

[wordvarc]

"White bucks?"

In California they were a part of Marching Band Uniforms and worn with white belts "down behind the Orange Curtain" in Orange County in the 1960's.

[melponeme k]

Dig deeper.

Why are they pushing all these Horatio Alger stories on the new justice?

Where are all the stories about her past rulings?

I don't question that she pulled herself up from a bad situation. But at what cost?

She attended Elite Universities, hobnobbed with children of the Elite. You only get to where she is now, if you can wine and dine with the best of them. And you will do what the Elite expect you to.

So all of this happy, happy about the new justice strikes me as dressing up old crap and calling it new.

[Durango]

If all she did was play the game she wouldn't have lodged the complaint against the law firm would she?

[EmeraldWorld]

Exactly. She may be considered an "Elite" because of her illustrious educational background, but she does not bend to the views of the *power* elite (aka white conservative men).

[melponeme k]

You aren't thinking like a chess player or a GO player.

You only attack the pieces you know are vulnerable.

So what was it about this law firm that made it vulnerable?

Our country is fighting for it's life now against people who will gladly throw it under the next bus for more money. I question anyone the elite try to sell to us as a good deal.

[henrywolff]

Good for her. That happened alot back then. Was still dying out in the '90s when I was hiring for my law firm.

[noudidnt]

Would Krall have asked her AA questions if she were a wh y te woman???

[fulanita]

Touché. Let's not forget that it's white women who benefit from AA more than any other group.