On the Sotomayor Confirmation Hearings
(I've only listened to coverage on day one, so I don't know what's been going on since then.)
So, politics in this country really piss me off sometimes. This is one of those times.
1. The implication that I've heard from (mostly) Republicans that Judge Sotomayor won't be able to make impartial decisions in all cases regarding people of all races due to the fact that she is a Hispanic woman is stupid.
It's really stupid. Not only is it stupid, it's patronizing. It belittles this judge who has worked in the court system for many, many years. If she wasn't able to render an impartial, unbiased decision based solely on the law, then President George Bush Sr. wouldn't have nominated her to the District Courts. If she wasn't able to render an unbiased decision, President Clinton wouldn't have nominated her to the US Court of Appeals.
2. Telling Judge Sotomayor that she should ignore the fact that she is a Hispanic woman is stupid. Saying that the fact that she is a Hispanic woman from a poor family shouldn't matter is stupid.
Race, gender, age, social/class background - these things make us who we are. They're not all we are, of course, but they're an important part of us. We can't just ignore that!
Will she make the same decisions that an upper-class white male will make? No. And that's a good thing!
Lord.
So, politics in this country really piss me off sometimes. This is one of those times.
1. The implication that I've heard from (mostly) Republicans that Judge Sotomayor won't be able to make impartial decisions in all cases regarding people of all races due to the fact that she is a Hispanic woman is stupid.
It's really stupid. Not only is it stupid, it's patronizing. It belittles this judge who has worked in the court system for many, many years. If she wasn't able to render an impartial, unbiased decision based solely on the law, then President George Bush Sr. wouldn't have nominated her to the District Courts. If she wasn't able to render an unbiased decision, President Clinton wouldn't have nominated her to the US Court of Appeals.
2. Telling Judge Sotomayor that she should ignore the fact that she is a Hispanic woman is stupid. Saying that the fact that she is a Hispanic woman from a poor family shouldn't matter is stupid.
Race, gender, age, social/class background - these things make us who we are. They're not all we are, of course, but they're an important part of us. We can't just ignore that!
Will she make the same decisions that an upper-class white male will make? No. And that's a good thing!
Lord.