Ginsburg Defends Sotomayor's Wise Latina Remark: Reaction "Ridiculous"

In a long interview to be published in this week's New York Times Magazine, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg defended Judge Sonia Sotomayor much-ballyhooed "wise Latina" comment.

"There are some people in Congress who would criticize severely anyone President Obama nominated," Ginsburg said. "They'll seize on any handle. ... I thought it was ridiculous for them to make a big deal out of that. Think of how many times you've said something that you didn't get out quite right, and you would edit your statement if you could."

Q: Did you think that all the attention to the criticism of Sotomayor as being "bullying" or not as smart is sex-inflected? Does that have to do with the rarity of a woman in her position, and the particular challenges?

JUSTICE GINSBURG: I can't say that it was just that she was a woman. There are some people in Congress who would criticize severely anyone President Obama nominated. They'll seize on any handle. One is that she's a woman, another is that she made the remark about Latina women. [In 2001 Sotomayor said: "I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life."] And I thought it was ridiculous for them to make a big deal out of that. Think of how many times you've said something that you didn't get out quite right, and you would edit your statement if you could. I'm sure she meant no more than what I mean when I say: Yes, women bring a different life experience to the table. All of our differences make the conference better. That I'm a woman, that's part of it, that I'm Jewish, that's part of it, that I grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., and I went to summer camp in the Adirondacks, all these things are part of me.

Once Justice O'Connor was questioning counsel at oral argument. I thought she was done, so I asked a question, and Sandra said: Just a minute, I'm not finished. So I apologized to her and she said, It's O.K., Ruth. The guys do it to each other all the time, they step on each other's questions. And then there appeared an item in USA Today, and the headline was something like"Rude Ruth Interrupts Sandra."

As for how Sotomayor would fare on the court, Ginsburg said "she'll hold her own." She described herself as a product of affirmative action and dismissed criticism of the nominee on those grounds. Justice Ginsburg went on to share insightful opinions on the power and limitations of the court in combating gender-based discrimination. Read the whole interview here.

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Comments

[tnkeating]

Morer important than her being a latina woman with rich experiences, this judge has had several of her rulings overturned by the suppreme court, so her experienses got in the way of a rational decision based on the law

[LeLoup]

Perish the thought that the Supreme Court we have now could be wrong.

[ScaryCaterpillar]

Justice Ginsburg is a racist.

How else do you interpret another part of her interview:

“Frankly I had thought that at the time Roe was decided, there was concern about population growth and particularly growth in populations that we don’t want to have too many of. So that Roe was going to be then set up for Medicaid funding for abortion.”

[Bundenthal]

The most obvious point everyone misses is that SS's point was correct. I would also hope that someone from that background would make wise decisions regarding cases germane to those backgrounds. White judges, as I would hope I would be, for example, can try to empathize, but having never been in those shoes, it would be difficult. Clarence Thomas demonstrates that it is only a hope that the wisdom follows and that it is not necessarily true. SS makes it clear that she will uphold the law, but not abandon her experience. Having 1 of 9 with her perspective is a positive. What Republicans are telling you is that all 9 must think like them.

[BARRY08]

Here, here , spot on Lady !

"There are some people in Congress who would criticize severely anyone President Obama nominated,"

instead of allowing this President the opportunity to do his thing
with the class only he happens to have ...

GOP1 still sore about losing the elections ...
not realizing that they only have themselves to blame for it

GOP2 with Collin Powel might bring America the balance
of a reasonable, decent debate

let's hope they let him !

[imfedup]

Let them fight her with all they've got. The Hispanics will never forget this.

[LeLoup]

The Hispanics and every sensible person in America will never forget this.

[kasinca]

I would hope that any intelligent person would make a better decision than a republican. End of story.

[bx1935]

I guess it's OK for Democrats to make sexist and ethnic remarks that have no place in the public discourse. What if a non-Democrat nominee would speak her same words? Would they get the job?

[cseper]

I would 'hope' that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would, more often than not, reach a better conclusion. Sonia haters always leave out 'hope' when they repeat what she said.

[myoungholt]

They learned how to edit remarts from Hannity.

[desertdweller]

It was also ridiculous when racial epithets were hurled at Jackie Robinson and Hank Greenburg had to endure the most vile anti-semitic taunts because they had the audacity to play a game dominated by white Christians.

[loax]

A wise, Jewish woman with the richness of her experiences. Way to go Justice Ginsburg!

[Katie101622]

I have never loved a SCOTUS judge more than Ruth.

I named my dog after her. Seriously.

[sixyfivepercentwater]

Sotomayor made a stupid offhand remark. That is troubling to me in a supreme court nominee who is being vetted. Hell, I'd be put off hearing that remark from the guy who bags my groceries, let alone from Sotomayor. The main question for me is whether she stands behind that remark, because if she does then she should immediately go to my local Kroger and start bagging my groceries.

No one is more qualified to make a fair and wise decision because they are a member of a certain sex or a certain culture. They are qualified because they are educated, and they are qualified because they have the required life and work experience. To imply that one's sex or culture either qualify or disqualify one from making a wise decision is hogwash.

[normathumb]

Important to remember that is exactly the argument made by white men in all the history of America. That they were uniquely qualified to make all judgments for all Americans by virtue of being white men.

[sweetsdawsonusn]

Exactly and on the button.......ironic ain't it.

[jazabelz]

Why should she go to Kroger and start bagging your groceries? Would you say the same thing to a white man? You obviously didn't read the entire article or you wouldn't have posted your nonsensical comment. Also, is it really necessary to swear? My mother always said people that have to resort to swearing are ignorant and inarticulate!

[imfedup]

It wasn't stupid, and I hope she does stand behind it. Your remarks are incredibly ignorant.

[pkafin]

She actually didn't imply that which you are suggesting she did :

"more qualified to make a fair and wise decision because they are a member of a certain sex or a certain culture."

Rather, she implied what you claim you would find acceptable:

"They are qualified because they are educated, and they are qualified because they have the required life and work experience."

What she said was that her experiences as a Latina were part of the "required life... experience". Try reading her entire quote in context and not some soundbyte prepared by a media outlet.

[rollingdivision]

Birds of a feather.

[allincompassing]

You mean Roberts, Alito,Thomas and Scalia. The amazing Re-dodo birds of the SCOTUS

[jazabelz]

Wow two women every appointed to the Supreme Court and one nominee!!!! And you're upset? Get over it women make up more than half of our population, it's about time we had a little "equal" reprsentation. Bet if the nominee was Palin you'd be peeing all over yourself!

[LeLoup]

Hmm!
The end result would be the same, but not from peeing. :-)

[Pupadup4oBama]

I wish we had MORE judges like her. She's a wise, wise woman.

[Topfeeder]

RBG=AWESOME