Letter to the editor:

Sotomayor’s ‘wise Latina’ comment has truth

Frank R. Kegan, Las Vegas

Thursday, June 11, 2009 | 2:03 a.m.

Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s now famous “wise Latina” remark is clearly true and self-evident to anyone able to notice how some folks operate. It has nothing to do with skin color, race or even ethnicity. It is only a recognition that too many privileged white males choose to ignore and denigrate the realities of those not in their own social circle or sports bars. It is not their race, but their prejudice and condescension that are being noted in the remark.

Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, being a generation older, only sought in her similar remark to claim a woman was not inferior to a man in her judgment. The problem with a comment like one that Chief Justice John Roberts has made — that he is just an umpire calling balls and strikes — is that it assumes everything is just an abstract game in a private park for leisure amusement.

To see the Supreme Court as a giant sports bar where privileged elites just watch the game and comment upon the play-by-play is a very apt description of Roberts as a jurist.

Conservatives’ position is to try to lash out against various trauma and problems they feel aggrieved about. For example, Justice Clarence Thomas’ book — he says he wrote every word — is more a diatribe against liberals than any statement about the rule of law.

Discussion: 23 comments so far…

By POWERPLAY

6/11/09 at 2:36 a.m.

Suggest removal

Hey Frank > You liberals just hate Justice Clarence Thomas! Why' Because he won't roll over and play victim in life. To bad all you liberals spend to much time hating everybody that is not white but yet a conservative that must really ruin your day. GOOD BECAUSE IT SHOULD >>>>> NOW GO WORSHIP PRESIDENT OBAMA LIKE A GOOD DEMOCRAT.
By labdaddy

6/11/09 at 4:25 a.m.

Suggest removal

Frank -

The following is from a New York Times (can't find a more liberal newspaper than that) article dated May 14, 2009

"WASHINGTON -- In 2001, Sonia Sotomayor, an appeals court judge, gave a speech declaring that the ethnicity and sex of a judge "may and will make a difference in our judging."

"In her speech, Judge Sotomayor questioned the famous notion -- often invoked by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her retired Supreme Court colleague, Sandra Day O'Connor -- that a wise old man and a wise old woman would reach the same conclusion when deciding cases."

"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,"

Not the same at all, Frank. Not the same at all...
By jaesun

6/11/09 at 8:06 a.m.

Suggest removal

throw out all the noin female latina women in the judicial system. hell, go with the legislative and executive branches too?

Central and South America is FLOWING with smart people running their government AM I RIGHT?

/sarcasm

idiot
By neiman1

6/11/09 at 8:36 a.m.

Suggest removal

open the border.
By Future

6/11/09 at 8:45 a.m.

Suggest removal

Sotomayor says she "would more often than not reach a better conclusion..."

Having said this several time in many meetings it is clear that Sotomayor believes she is "better" then the rest of us.

I do not want to be in her court.
By SgtRock

6/11/09 at 12:16 p.m.

Suggest removal

Anytime a strong Conservative woman or minority comes on the scence then the libs go into super attack mode.

They worry that it might erode their base.

They will always seek to DESTROY conservative women or conservative minorities. They could care less if they are destroying a woman or a minority. The libs are a bunch of hypocrites.
By ksand99

6/11/09 at 12:39 p.m.

Suggest removal

First, jfNance32, err, SgtRock, err, James F Nance32, what is a "scence?" Is that "sense?" How can someone "comes on the sense?" You're speaking gibberish.

You mean a "strong Conservative woman" like Sarah Palin? Or a "strong Conservative minority" like Michael Steele? LOL, ok!

You realize that you're essentially a hypocrite, as you've been attacking a female minority for weeks now? You want to have your cake and eat it too, it seems!
By FRKegan

6/11/09 at 2:33 p.m.

Suggest removal

Hello Folks,
Your comments demonstrate that you do not read English very well; or think about what your knee-jerk Conservative reflex actually says about you all. Res ipsa loquitur or Q.E.D.-- both apply.

Clarence Thomas is hated for being a raving ideologue who decides cases based upon the nature of the litigants NOT the rule of law. His sexual harassment of Anita Hill is also unforgivable.

But other than that he is welcome to his opinions, De gustibus non disputandum est.

However, one might wish to consider that his comments and actions, like those of VP Cheney are actually symptoms of PTSD, and advocate they receive the therapy they need.

All the best folks,
Dr. Frank R. Kegan, Psy.D.
By GunslingerA10

6/11/09 at 2:44 p.m.

Suggest removal

Future:

I didn't know you're a Judge, or as qualified as SS.

Given SS' knowledge of the law, she should/would more times than not reach a better conclusion, than lets say you, whom I would argue is not near as qualified as her for the court. Fact, to date SS is the most acclaimed appointee select to the court. I know that rubs you the wrong way, because you see America as only being monocromatic (Us or Them) and not for anyone else, unlike the vibrant star spangle banner America has become. Why is this appointment viewed as a hostile take-over of the court and not a fair transition which reflects the demography of the country?

If SS said that in the context of being able to reach a better conclusion than let's say an RN, I would agree with you, if SS was not a qualified RN.

I too would not want to be in SS' court, being that if I was, I must have done something or have some sort of unfavorable action to contest. That said, I believe she would rule as fairly as is humanly possible.

I rest
By El_Lobo

6/11/09 at 3:14 p.m.

Suggest removal

Future said:

"Sotomayor says she "would more often than not reach a better conclusion..."

Having said this several time in many meetings it is clear that Sotomayor believes she is "better" then the rest of us.

I do not want to be in her court."

Does this mean that if she's appointment to the Court, you will head for Canada?
By labdaddy

6/11/09 at 4:40 p.m.

Suggest removal

FRKegan -

Hey Doc, you're in America now...speak English!

Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt
By SgtRock

6/11/09 at 6:07 p.m.

Suggest removal

"You mean a "strong Conservative woman" like Sarah Palin? Or a "strong Conservative minority" like Michael Steele? LOL, ok!"

Thanks for proving my point which you do often.
By WayneSchlegel

6/11/09 at 7:15 p.m.

Suggest removal

Future: Having said this several time in many meetings it is clear that Sotomayor believes she is "better" then the rest of us."
She is better than the rest of us dummy. Unless you have the level of education achieved by her, and the level of respect needed to be nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court, you and I don't measure up. Accept it. None of this means she would not apply the law to everyone equally and that's the only thing that matters.
By FRKegan

6/11/09 at 10:52 p.m.

Suggest removal

"Hey Doc, you're in America now...speak English!
Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt

Hiya labdaddy,
As a native born American, always in America except when traveling, I will speak whatever languages I wish whenever I wish. BTW most of my posts were in English, or did the bits of law Latin overwhelm you?

Your quote that "men easily believe what they wish to believe" is not quite relevant to any of my posts though it does fit well the Conservatives' nonsense posted here.
Can you post in English on your views or was the quote above the limit of your capacities?

After 8 years of Bush43 crimes, incompetence and corruption, apparently the proud Conservative tradition has been left inarticulate, scattered and ridiculous. Maybe you folks need to take awhile off, go out into your favorite swamp and think (or meditate if you are up to that) for a few years.

Best of luck and Get Well Soon,

Dr. Frank R. Kegan
By larry5

6/11/09 at 11:54 p.m.

Suggest removal

Dr. FRKegan. You provide proof that being educated does not make one wise.
By labdaddy

6/12/09 at 3:49 a.m.

Suggest removal

FRKegan - Yikes! Push a button there did I, Doc?

Physician heal thyself and take a chill pill (now available at your local pharmacy and they accept food stamps).

p.s. You win the award for the most adjectives used to express one simple (albeit inane) thought. Congratulations!
By sheilacatherine

6/12/09 at 7:06 a.m.

Suggest removal

Yes, please calm down Doctor...you're making the rest of us educated elitists look ridiculous!
By LV4LIFE

6/12/09 at 11:20 a.m.

Suggest removal

I like Sotomayor, I think she would bring a fresh perspective to the courts. Old white men do not always see or understand the colors and shades of your changing society. I would also like to see an asian, and or a black woman on the court.
By llanquihue

6/12/09 at 7:03 p.m.

Suggest removal

"It is not their race, but their prejudice and condescension that are being noted in the remark."

Judge Sotomayor and her Spanish heritage are in no position to lecture other races and genders about prejudice and condescension.

Put the spotlight on Judge Sotomayor and her Spanish heritage. Anyone who has lived in Latin America can testify of the blatant racism against blacks and indigenous peoples. I suggest Sotomayor's Spanish heritage is full of prejudice and condescension.

An by the way, give an example or two of the great judgment of a Latina that has impacted the world. I can think of hundreds of contributions of "white males" in the form of inventions, innovations, stable political system, et al, that have improved the United States as well as the world.
By GunslingerA10

6/13/09 at 4:58 a.m.

Suggest removal

I'll give you three, all directy responsible for the success of every man, his Wife, his Mother, and his Grandmother; enough said.
By llanquihue

6/13/09 at 7:01 p.m.

Suggest removal

Still unanswered: where are the judgments of a Latina that have so impacted the world.

You cannot directly link the success of every man to wife-mother-grandmother. Nice generality but ridiculous on its face. If birth is considered the first foundation of success, then I agree. However, there are successful men, including geniuses of our Founding, inventors, industrialists that did not have a wife and some lost their mothers at an early age.

I might use a similar generality. THE SUCCESS OF EVERY WOMAN IS DIRECTLY LINKED TO HER FATHER-HUSBAND AND GRANDFATHER. I kind of like that.

Nice try but no cigar.
By FRKegan

6/13/09 at 11:44 p.m.

Suggest removal

Llanquihue,

Each of us is an individual, worrying about the supposed advantages or lack thereof for entire ethnic groups is a bit last century.

Also, why do you refer only to Judge Sotomayor's Latina and Spanish heritage? How about her generations of American heritage. The media speaks of her parents as immigrants, but that is not quite precise, they are from the U.S. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and therefore native born citizens. They represent the Spanish-speaking American heritage. It would be like complaining about Barry Goldwater's qualifications to run for President since he was born not in the United States, but in the Arizona Territory.

And everyone of any ethnicity who has experienced more than elite privilege and foolishness can critique, criticism and denigrate the willful ignor-ance and lack of human understanding far too common amongst the overpriviledged folks who are truly colorless but think of themselves as white folks.

Anyone who is not aware of the problems of the unaware male and the condemnation they so richly deserve for their lack of any understanding is totally out of it themselves. There are Caucasians and males who are as wonderful as any other gender or ethnicity, but then there are others who think of themselves as white males who don't deserve the designation of Men or any claim to an ethnicity.

Each of us is entitled to be considered a unique individual. Oh, and the Judge is well-qualified and will be confirmed on time and those who feel badly about it can weep and watch as she turns the court to her views by the brilliance of her intellect.

Watch the news and stock up on your favorite beverage comfort!

« Previous Ten Next Ten »

Live chat: Tuesday, noon PST; Chat with Krista Creelman; Problem Gambling Center executive director Krista Creelman will answer questions about gambling addiction from Las Vegas Sun readers from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. ... Submit question