The GOP Proves They Need Latina Wisdom

This morning I received a call from an old friend. I saw her caller ID , picked it up and heard her smile as she said, "Happy Wise Latina Day!".

It reminded me of a conversation with a young Latina lawyer who I had some wine with on Tuesday night.

Both my friends have often served as reliable barometers for what middle class professional Latinas are thinking. Like most of their group, they came directly from the proud Latino working class. Like their moms and mine, being a successful Latina, whether that is defined as being a professional or producing a generation prepared to fulfill their dreams, is more than necessary: it is almost a sacred duty. Their path is apparently not easy. There's my mom, working herself into America after growing up on a ranch in Mexico's northern region; my friends' moms, establishing their first generation family firmly into the American middle class; and their own personal journeys -- being the first to graduate college and to devote their lives, in one case as a professional public servant, the other as a promising new attorney. Their journey is treacherous and difficult and was one that necessitated a determination and sense of self that one would have to call "wisdom." So while the story of Sonia Sotomayor has been told as if it is unique and special the power of her biography is that in many ways it is neither. Sonia Sotomayor is representative of Latinas more often than not.

If my barometer friends are giving me a good reading (and they always have) the GOP is in for a rough go of it. The men of our community would have never made the mistake made by Sessions, Graham, Hutchinson et al of disparaging the words of a symbol of a sorority that makes up a very public , very open, and yet a very private and almost secret society: Latinas. While people found it easy to question the wisdom of Sotomayor's words nobody in our community found it even necessary to mention that the GOP proved that they did not posses the wisdom to choose theirs more carefully. The irony was best enjoyed quietly; besides, the inside joke became funnier and funnier.

But the fun and games are over and so here it comes: GOP, let me warn you, your affront to Sotomayor is seen as an affront to all Latinas and will not be forgotten easily. This will stick. You are now officially doomed. Senator Hutchinson or other Sotomayor detractors in heavily Latino areas should cross the aisle and find out how important and effective Latinas can be on the campaign trail. Better idea: take a Latina out for lunch, but be prepared to hear wisdom.

As far as the men in our community, most of us are also insulted. The wisdom the GOP disparaged has nurtured us, inspires us, and intrigues us. Most of us Latinos cringed for the GOP when they engaged in this battle which we knew they would lose, and will continue to lose. We wish the GOP "good luck" knowing they will need much more. Hmm, perhaps some wisdom ... I have a couple of friends they can talk to.

Mario Solis-Marich can be heard on Am760 in Denver and at www.GotoMario.com Monday through Friday from 4 PM to 7 PM MT.

Follow Mario Solis-Marich on Twitter: www.twitter.com/marioradio

Comments

[sabestu]

As I keep saying, we must not forget the real reason why republican senators from Texas, Arizona and a few others so called red states voted the way they did with their consent for justice Sotomayor confirmation. We must (also) never forget what the junior senator from Arizona said and the way he said it. Do republicans fear, especially the southern senators that their high and mighty once upon a time power is going, going, gone as it did in our last general election when the GOP lost the whole lot.

[Nilda Medina]

" The men of our community would have never made the mistake made by Sessions, Graham, Hutchinson et al of disparaging the words of a symbol of a sorority that makes up a very public , very open, and yet a very private and almost secret society: Latinas."

So true, they know better not to mess with us. The GOP will never recover from this.

[2008CaliforniaFan]

I do hope than you can go on the air and remind people that " Country First McCain " voted No.

Remind them now ....and all the way up to the 2010 Elections. Let them never forget.

[1will]

If a white male or white male Conservative made comments similiar to Sotomayor's he would never have been confirmed. Twist things around all that you want but she has a history of showing racial preferences and making racial comments. Now you believe she should get a free pass due to.....race? You guys are the biggest hypocrites.

[trisha08]

Really? A history of showing racial preferences and making racial comments? Sources please.

[2008CaliforniaFan]

Methinks he is a R. Limbaugh ( or lou Dobbs..?) Fan... therefore you will never be able to educate or enlighten Him. It would be hopeless and futile.

I suppose he might quote something from The Newt as well.

[1will]

Are you the only one left in the country that hasn't seen video after video of the "Wise Latina" comments? This was not a one shot deal. She gave this speech or a similiar theme over and over. Then there's here membership in La Raza. Imagine a white guy joining a group called "The Race."

[Dosadi]

I guess she made the mistake a saying it was even remotely possible for any Latino to be wiser than a white.

[1will]

The obvious mistake was claiming that a person of any race would be wiser than others based on race. I suppose if you blindly worship your ideology then you can twist anything around.

[sufi66]

I just hope this woman is progressive. That's all I care about. The Republicans are still too close to a majority that wants to take us back to the the 19th century.

Remember that Souter was a Bush 1 error. Bush believed he was getting another right winger.

I don't want this woman to be Obama's error. That she was once picked by a Bush scares the hell out of me.

[1will]

Don't sweat her crazy leftwing creds. She's true blue.
Bush (41) could not get any judicial picks through a Democratic controlled Congress. In the end he worked a deal with the Dems. You pick half and I'll pick half. We'll then confirm the Justices. She was not really picked by Bush. She was approved, along with her lefty peers, so that numerous seats would not remain vacant.

[Horus45]

Dolt, the Democrats did not control congress at the time she was nominated to the Federal bench!

Every time you open your mouth you stick your foot in it.

[PlantGod72]

From your mouth to God's ears.......I just hope she's listening!

[pdog]

The Latino vote made a big difference in the 2000 election the voted for Bush because he wanted to resolve the immigration problem. While he did try to keep that promise you saw how the rest of the GOP responded Latinos weren't white enough for them to want to give them citizenship. Instead they wanted to send them all back home even if they were here legally. They dare accuse are newest Supreme Court Justice of being racist. Based on what a wise Latina comment and the Ricci Case. Would the GOP prefer she called herself a stupid Latina. The Ricci case was a 5-4 decision that means 4 Supreme Court Justices agreed with Sotomayor yet I didn't hear anyone call those 4 people racists.