It's Scary When I Find Myself Agreeing with Newt Gingrich
I don't like to make whole judgments based on sound bites out of context, but what little I do know is pretty damning. I will certainly look into this further. For now, here's what I've got
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Besides that the quote as I read it said that a latino woman hearing a case dealing with latino issues will invariably have a different opinion from a white man simply because they grew up in the culture and have been exposed to that information. Similarly a white male will be more informed on white male issues by living that life. I think it is a stupid thing to say but I read it very differently. So obviously we read that very differently.
Whatever I dont much like her center right rulings and she's too focused on legal minutia for my tastes but unless there is an outcry she is sticking around.
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The quote itself is what alarmed me. The fact of the matter is that if you change the word "Latina" to "white" in that sentence, it sounds like the words of a klansman. I recognize that her life experience will influence her decisions, and her experiences in the projects will certainly lead her to empathize with the poor. However, she could have said so in a thousand different ways that were not that.
As for her comment being restricted to Latino issues, I think it's bull. Many many decisions on these Latino issues will affect every American, not just Latinos.
As for Gingrich's comment, I don't necessarily agree that she should step down. She's not who I would have chosen, but I don't think that her comment is enough to demand that of her. However, I do agree with Newty that a white man would be crucified for saying pretty much the same damned thing. It ( ... )
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I just think the comment is being blown out of proportion and out of context. You're right that if a white man said it he would be attacked. Depending on how he said it. And you know that there would be a lot of white men coming to his defense in hat case such as Gingrich himself so I'm far from empathetic on the issue.
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Ok, maybe not that as a Latino woman, that Alito would make better decisions, but something very similar.
"Second, 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."
Where in there does she say "I hate whites. Whites are incapable of making decisions. I am better than whites."
No where.
It may not be the most eloquent thing she could have said, but it certainly isn't the ZOMG RACIST! statement that ole Newty would have you believe.
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As for the actual quote, she doesn't say that whites are incapable of making decisions, just that they are less capable. Listing her Latin background as a qualification for making sound judgments can only imply just that. She flat out said that she is a better judge because of her race.
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At least white guilt keeps it in check for us some of the time.
And these are the words of someone who's trying to learn Spanish in order to integrate into a largely Hispanic community, no less.
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[Edit: now with embeded video]
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