[Grovenet] From Politico . . .

[Steve Jerrett]

Allen,

I did read the entire speech, and I tend to believe, as you do, that it 
isn't an intentionally racist statement.   It did raise a red flag when I 
read it, and I think the scrutiny is justifiable. Some, on both sides of the 
issue, seem content to make assumptions as to her intent. I don't see 
anything wrong with insisting that she explain the statement, since this is 
a fairly important office.

I still believe there is a double standard that excuses some and vilifies 
others for similar statements, and this is the crux of my original post.

Steve

 ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Allen Warren" <osubuckeye59 at yahoo.com>
To: "Forest Grove local interests list" <grovenet at rdrop.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 4:29 PM
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] From Politico . . .


I ask you to please read the full context of Judge Sotomayor's speech: 
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/6444523/Sonia-Sotomayors-2001-speech-at-UC-Berkeley

As I read through the speech I realized she was advocating for diversity, 
not making racist remarks, or at least not attempting to sound like a 
racist. And in her speech she was advocating how indeed a person with rich 
life experience would bring more to the table than someone that has led a 
sheltered life.

The one sentence in the entire speech that Republicans are holding up as a 
racist comment is, IMHO, not racist when the entire speech is read. That one 
statement sentence certainly is not the best choice of words. No doubt about 
it. But if we take one sentence out of an entire speech, hold up that one 
sentence as clear evidence of the entire tenor of an individual, don't take 
into account the entire body of work a person does, then I submit absolutely 
*NO* person will ever be fit to be a judge on any court.

Allen Warren


________________________________
From: Steve Jerrett <stevedj at teleport.com>
To: Forest Grove local interests list <grovenet at rdrop.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 2:46:30 PM
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] From Politico . . .

"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," was stated by Sandra Sotomayor, 2001.

That my be true, but why the racism? It seems that anyone, regardless of
race, with a rich life experience would bring more to the table than someone
that has led a sheltered life.

We all probably know that if the reverse were uttered by a white man,
widespread outrage would ensue. Imagine the outrage if a southern senator
stated "give me a good ol' white man that's been through the school of hard
knocks over an ignorant Mexican any day."

Why aren't "progressives" joining in to denounce Sotomayor's blatantly
racist statement? Instead, such questioning is dismissed as fractious
rhetoric.

If we as a society are to truly transcend this hypocritical cycle, we all
must be honest and willing to denounce racism from all sources.


Steve



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Allen Warren" <osubuckeye59 at yahoo.com>
To: "Forest Grove local interests list" <grovenet at rdrop.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 12:37 PM
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] From Politico . . .


It really is sad how our Congressional so-called "leaders" put Supreme Court
nominees through the wringer. It's bad enough that nominees like Sotomayor
have to first run a gauntlet just to reach the point where they can be
considered as a nominee, but then each nominee has to sit through pompous,
scathing badgering which is mostly show with little substance. And it's not
just Sotomayor I'm talking about. It's all of her predecessors in at least
the last 30 years.

Kudos to Sotomayor for not jumping up to run over and strangle some of the
Repulicans. And kudos to her predecessors for not doing the same with the
opposition party in past nomination hearings.

I firmly believe in and support our government. But these nomination
hearings are simply a mechanism for the opposition party to drag on the
pre-destined approval process to both badger the nominee and also hope they
can somehow, magically find a "smoking gun" that simply isn't there.

Allen Warren


________________________________
From: Bob Browning <rab at jurislex.com>
To: Grovenet <grovenet at rdrop.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 12:20:23 PM
Subject: [Grovenet] From Politico . . .


I just heard Sen Coburn using a Dezi Arnas phrase from the Lucy Show. Yet
another reference to Sotomayor's latin heritage. These Republicans never
stop. If you're wondering what they're doing they're playing to the base.
Recall what Limbaugh (the figure head of the conservative movement) remarked
early in this process: "Sotomayor is a racist" (paraphrased). That's what
they're probing for. They are looking to affirm their
"reverse-discrimination" mantra. These guys are intent on making this
nomination about race apprently because the latina woman has had her foot on
the throat of conservative white male elites for such a long time. It really
is an insight into the sociopathology and dogmatic intellect of the
conservative mind.



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