Sotomayor and the politics of race

Yesterday's decision by the Supreme Court to reverse Sonia Sotomayor's ruling on the New Haven firefighters case was undoubtedly a blow (albeit, not fatal) to the woman who aspires to sit on the nations' highest court. The Philadelphia Inquirer offers this viewpoint:

“Yesterday's ruling that white New Haven firefighters were unfairly denied promotions because of their race became an instant talking point for foes of Sotomayor.  "She was among three appellate judges who had rejected the white firefighters' claim of discrimination.  "Conservatives argued that the appellate decision showed her to be a judicial activist who allows biases - particularly her backing of affirmative action policies - to taint her judgment.”

As the article goes on to state, this ruling does not seem to be the death knell for Sotomayor, however the ruling puts a spotlight on one of politics' dirty secrets: Race. Even while Barack Obama and his family occupy the White House, the politics of race has become a double edged sword for the administration.

During his presidential campaign, critics were silenced by the accusation, or fear of the accusation, of being a racist, even as Obama used his background numerous times to debunk claims that he was “not black enough” from minority voters. Often, Republicans, long saddled with the racist label, were stunned into silence by the often vicious attacks from the left. 

Another example of racial politics occured during the press conference to announce Judge Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court. While there have been calls from such organizations as the National Council of La Raza to focus on Sotomayor's judicial record, the White House chose to attempt to batter the public with feelings of guilt. There was:

“...the Inspiring Icon of the White House narrative, the Latina born in the Bronx, raised by her widowed mom who sacrificed everything for her daughter. With smarts and guts, Sotomayor graduated from Yale Law School, only to have her impeccable qualifications questioned by a prospective employer who'd been conditioned by race-based government policy to wonder if she'd made it that far only because of her Hispanic heritage.

"She's rightfully a beacon of hope to every Latina mother and daughter, from the Bronx to Chicago's Little Village and on to East L.A. The girls in the neighborhoods can see Sotomayor and aspire to greatness.

"But the other side of the story also speaks to racism. Not the knuckle-dragging kind shrieked by ignorant barbarians. That's easy to condemn, whether the knuckles are white, black or brown.

"Yet there is another kind. The media don't recognize it as racism and instead lard it with virtue, calling it by its Orwellian name: affirmative action. Yet many know it by what it is: government-backed racial preference.”

As an African American mom twenty plus years Sotomayor's junior, I lack the richness of her experiences, but not my own. Few people of color, or even those without a substantial income, do not have some type of compelling story. Poverty transcends race and background and many share a kinship born of struggle. However, that does not mean that special treatment or quotas are in order. Independent Columnist Michael Gaynor sums up this point well.

“It has been reported often that Judge Sotomayor graduated from Princeton College summa cum laude and was an editor of the Yale Law Journal, each a very impressive accomplishment, if achieved on the basis of merit.   "But, when Judge Sotomayor called herself 'the perfect affirmative action baby' and claimed inability to define merit, what was she really saying about her fitness to be a Supreme Court Justice?  "Did she mean that she was graded and judged less demandingly at Princeton and Yale and that was a good thing that paved her path to America's highest court?  "Is she 'perfect' for the position, or necessarily not up to par?  "Personally, I prefer to choose professionals, such as surgeons and dentists, based solely on merit.  "Likewise, I think that race-based grading and affirmative action Supreme Court Justices appointments are counterproductive indulgences better avoided.”

The inherent racism in the whole approach of the administration regarding nominations and attempts to silence critics have actually done more harm to minorities in general... Read more here.