Oraleeeeee Los Angeles!
To officially kick-off my very first posting on my very first blog, I'd like to give a short recap of some summer art, music, and political happenings in my beloved Los Angeles City as well as the nation.
August was a good month for Latinas in Washington. Remember this crowning moment on August 6, 2009?
Manhattan prosecutor Sonia Sotomayor from the Bronx, NY was confirmed at the 111th Supreme Court Justice on August 6, 2009. After an overwhelming 68 to 31 votes in the Senate, Sotomayor became the first ever Latino and third woman to serve on the Supreme Court. However, her journey to the federal court was not a walk in the park. As expected, republican opponents fired against her abilities, claiming her past decisions and verdicts have favored disadvantaged minority groups. Some opponents even went as far as calling her a "racist." Sotomayor courageously responded to such offensive claims by stating that her judging is shaped by her life experiences--which happen to be those of a Latina woman.
Yo Pienso: Finally someone has the guts to say that race still matters!!! This "wise Latina" stands up for all minorities when she says that her life experiences as a Latina are far different than those of a affluent, white woman--and that these differences matter! It is ignorant to believe that one can remove all traces of socialization once they become a judge. While objectivity in the Supreme Court is ideal, human beings living amongst disparities in race, religion, socio-economic class and gender will always be subjective. Our ideologies and values, formed partly by our own life experiences and surroundings most definitely influence our viewpoints. With that being said, the Supreme Court is far behind in representing all racial view points. For years the Court's justices only represented affluent white men until Thurgood Marshall, a black man was appointed in 1967. For hundreds of years the Court's decisions (while "objectively upholding the constitution") reflected a white, male bias as seen in this famous following Supreme Court ruling:
- The Dred Scott vs. Sandford case in 1856: the court ruled that the "Bill of Rights" didn't apply to African Americans, and therefor Dred Scott--a brave slave petitioning to the court for his freedom--was denied his freedom.
I highly doubt that had African Americans been serving as a Justices on the court in 1856, this ruling would have occurred.
Bottom line- We all carry personal life experiences based on our race, socio-ecomonic status, religion and gender, Sotomayor is the only one to admit that these experiences affect our values and decisions. The white male justices that, in history and still today, dominate the Supreme Court are no exception.
Que piensas?
