1 of 3? Judge Sonia Sotomayor

Tuesday, May 26, 2009



I don't know enough about Sonia Sotomayor (Obama's nom to the highest court) as I probably should (or will eventually) - but from what I've found out initially - sounds good so far.

She's extremely qualified - more so than anyone else was at this point from what I understand - a woman of color, and according to news outlets, the first Latino American to ever be selected for the post and while the latter isn't everything - 107 out of 111 of the justices so far have been white men - so on that front it - I'm all for it.

Will she uphold Roe v. Wade? From tidbits here and there, even though she hasn't ruled on anything in the past that gives a clear answer - people seem to at least think she will - which I think is important (because I'm all about choice no matter what way you go) - but is she a centrist on that topic?

I guess we really don't know.

But you know what I can tell you?

It's that I liked reading these quotes from her in 2001 (the last from a forward to an '07 book "The International Judge"):

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.
...I wonder whether by ignoring our differences as women or men of color we do a disservice both to the law and society.
...all judges have cases that touch our passions deeply, but we all struggle constantly with remaining impartial
Striving to be impartial and hold the Constitution and the law in the highest regard, but acknowledging that being a person of color and a woman, just like being white and male, still can affect the lens through which a judge may make a ruling?

I get that.