Obama Picks Sotomayor -- Color America Proud

A highly qualified President -- who happens to be a person of color -- introduces a highly qualified jurist -- who happens to be a woman of color -- as his nominee for a position on the United Supreme Court.

This is a significant and beautiful day for our nation.

There is so much else that will be said -- but let us take the time to say that first.

Comments

[tallisse]

OK everyone just calm down, go back and read her comment in the context of her speech like I did. What Sotomayor was talking about in her Berkeley speech is the importance of diversity in our judges. This speech is a call for all types of judges, white males included but also others, because, in her words, personal experiences affect the facts that judges choose to see.

She 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 her life, IN THE CONTEXT OF DECIDING SEX OR RACIAL DISCRIMINATION CASES. Just like in deciding an antitrust case, a judge who only had the experience of being a big corporate CEO might look at the case differently than a judge who only had the experience of being a small business owner.

Now you can agree or disagree with her sentiment that having judges with varying personal experiences makes the judicial system better. But calling her a racist because of it is completely and utterly INACCURATE. Once again I fear the conservative bigots will win on spinning this one.

[Jigtweet]

I, too, have just about had it with the racial rah rah. I am also kind of tired of the racial strings being pulled politically. Let's put good people in office. To me, she is NOT a person of color. It's not that hard to do it here, especially if one's parents break their backs to get one up the social ladder. The American Dream, to me, is to live in peace, with enough sustenance for everyone and the political pack in there, including the new supreme court nominee isn't going to do anything about that. The problems that exist today have to do with poverty, not race or nationality. Politicians use race, and the rest to veer us away from issues.

If confirmed, like all the rest, she will be concerned with her legacy, not us. And unless people get off their rumps, they won't accomplish anything, regardless of whom they are.

I say let's hear it for the people who built this place...it's just not that hard to come in when it's already done and take advantage of the bounty.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

This is a good day. All qualified people who are denied opportunity because of their race and/or gender rejoice. So, Blacks rejoice. Hispanic rejoice. Whites rejoice. Asians rejoice. Gays rejoice (after the anger over Prop. 8).

Qualified people get opportunities despite their race and gender.

[paligal]

From Wikipedia:

In Center for Reproductive Law and Policy v. Bush,[41] Sotomayor upheld the Bush administration's implementation of the Mexico City Policy which requires foreign organizations receiving U.S. funds to "neither perform nor actively promote abortion as a method of family planning in other nations". Sotomayor held that the policy did not constitute a violation of equal protection, as the government "is free to favor the anti-abortion position over the pro-choice position, and can do so with public funds".[42]

I don't care about the color of her skin. What is wrong with my fellow liberals? Wake up and stop being so blinded by her race!

[gisellestwocents]

She was only applying the law. This case actually cuts against a major GOP criticism -- that she believes in judicial activism. In your example, she doesn't disclose her political preference but just states the law regarding the government's spending power.

If she's so anti-choice (I am pro-life, but also pro-choice), then why did a representative from the religious right call her "frightening."

Give her a chance. BO selected her and that says alot for me.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Hispanic or no; female or no; liberal or no a judge follows the law.

If we want better laws, we need to hire/vote for better Congress people and better President. We are doing well, on selecting a better President. Some of the Congress need to go.

[lejoueur]

I am now waiting for my black gay justice, my justice with a disability, my asian lesbian justice. The court needs people who will be empathetic and representative of the diversity of America not just interprete the law as the constitution requires. How can we represent this beautiful diversity with only 9 justices. We certainly need more and while we're at it maybe the constitution is too old fashioned and should be changed to make it cool.

[Osmona]

Give it time. There's always room for improvement.

[lejoueur]

Is that what you call it? Improvement?

It is amazing how blatantly liberals disect us into different groups (with unique problems) and then act as the patronizing saviors who know what is best for everyone.

No! We do not need "improvement". All we want from a supreme court justice is that they interpret the law. The law is supposed to be blind and that includes color blind.

[Theo67]

Thank you for reminding us to take a breath and enjoy the small victories before launching into the next battle. I, for one, am happy today because an extremely qualified woman, who is also a person of color, has been nominated to one of the most prestigious positions in the land. Women over history have battled for equal consideration in multitudes of areas. Just because a woman wins a role, doesn't mean that there was gender bias, or something unfair in the selection. It could just mean that someone looked at her credentials and found that she was the most qualified. That said, in this particular instance, I actually don't mind if there was a degree of bias - because it furthers the pursuit of obtaining balance in the courts. The decisions made at the Supreme Court level affect all our lives. It's a fair thing to want fair consideration and representation. That is what the courts are supposed to represent, isn't it? Fair consideration? Today is a good day, indeed.

[tom ellison]

What? You're against the appointment? RACIST! RACIST! That's the only reason anyone could be against her. Obviously.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Be against her based on her qualifications or prior opinions and not a knee jerk reactions because she is Hispanic.

A good day.

[Loompa]

"It's a beautiful day for our nation" ....?? Why? Just because racial bias and gender discrimination is part of the selection process? This is a sad day, since experience and qualifications were not a consideration for this important appointment. So sad, too bad - we are still a bigoted nation, I see

[klondiker]

You apparently need to learn how to READ. Leah wrote that the president introduced a "highly qualified jurist, who happens to be a woman of color."

Get it? She is not a woman jurist, but a jurist who happens to be a woman. There is a big difference.

Sotomayor is a graduate of Yale and Princeton (where she was at the top of her class). She has more judicial experience than any supreme court justice in 70 years. She has worked in the public sector, in the DA's office and in the private sector, in a major law firm where she was partner. She is unquestionably qualified.

And, that is what's beautiful about this day: the fact that the most qualified person for the job is a woman.

[tom ellison]

"Get it? She is not a woman jurist, but a jurist who happens to be a woman. There is a big difference."

The Establishment was whining from the minute that Souter resigned. The appointment HAD to be a woman, they told us. The fact that she is a woman was very relevant to Obama. So, no. She does not just "happen" to be a woman who is a jurist.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

It is a great day because qualifications won over fear. A qualified, excellent, and experienced Latina.

She is experienced and qualified. She has set on the appellate court for over a decade. She sat on the federal district court. She is a Yale Law grad. She graduated summa cum laude from Princeton. She is very, very qualified.

We are still a bigoted society, but this is not an example of that. Qualifications and excellent won over fear.

Congrats Obama and Sotamayor.