Over the weekend, Sonia Sotomayor was sworn in as associate Justice of the Supreme Court. She is the first Hispanic woman on the bench, and she is replacing the liberal Justice David Souter. It is not surprising to me that President Obama's first nominee for the Supreme Court was someone like Sonia Sotomayor. She is very well qualified, and represents a portion of the population that remains underrepresented in U.S. government.
Sotomayor's confirmation hearing give me even less hope for the Republican party, with one Republican Senator making references to Ricky Ricardo. Others held tightly to partisan issues such as abortion or gun laws. Some cited Sotomayor's decision that the 2nd amendment does not apply to states as their reason for not confirming her. This is disheartening, as the issue of judicial selection is supposed to go beyond partisan ideology. A fact about her career is that she was chosen by George H.W. Bush in 1991 to serve on the district court. Her credentials go beyond partisan leanings. It is not surprising, though, that only nine Republican senators voted in her favor, while not a single Democrat voted against her.
Saturday, she swore to "administer justice without respect to persons" and "do equal right to the poor and to the rich." I share the Hispanic community's excitement of her place on the Supreme Court. She was raised in a housing project in the South Bronx. She understands firsthand the struggle of many Americans and the uphill battles minorities and women face. It is not necessary to fear her perspective, even if you are a wealthy white male.
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I also support Sotomayor as associate Justice of the Supreme court. Hanging onto partisan issues, however, does define the values of our country. By letting someone who supports abortion and gun laws into the court, the supreme court defines what our country stands for and what it allows. I think that the Republicans do have point, and that conflict will is inevitable. Sotomayor, however, thrived under the pressure, and won enough votes from the senate.
In Shelby's post about Sonia Sotomayor being sworn in as associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Though I may be completely wrong, I feel as though President Obama not only nominated Sotomayor for her qualifications, as Shelby stated, but more because she is a Hispanic.
Obama has faced struggles in becoming the nation's first black president, and I couldn't blame him if he was working towards forming a more culturally diverse government.
Shelby discussed how Sotomayor's background, especially her upbringing, will help her to better understand different issues such as segregation and poverty. I completely agree with this opinion because Sotomayor has lived it, therefore she understands it.
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