Supreme Court nominee Sotomayor is one step closer to making history

Responding to Luxefaire -- it's not racism. Here's why:

Not sure what you meant by "big go getter," but the item that Republicans seized on ad nauseum was her "wise Latina" comment. In a speech to mostly Latina law grads at Berkeley, she was trying to inspire them with her example and convey that one's experience is important in law practice.

That's not racism in the slightest.  In her actual experience as a judge, she ruled against Latinos plenty of times.  And ruled for them, too.  I think it's perfectly fine for her to have the opinion that one's experience can make one a better lawyer.  And I think it's fine for her to share it in a speech. (As for the veracity of the claim, Clarence Thomas proves that it's not universal that the experience of being a racial/ethnic minority leads one to a wiser or more sympathetic practice of law.)

Racism is systematically reducing the life chances of a group of people based on their race or ethnicity, or acting in ways that are part of racist systems.  Sotomayor has not done that.  White folks or other non-Latinos have not been targets of her rhetoric or any bias I've heard of.  Racism is not suggesting that people of different races have different experiences in life and that those experiences matter.

Incidentally, there is actually a progressive argument against Sotomayor's appointment posted at Mother Jones that's worth reading.

I read several articles including the wikipedia entry on this woman, the resounding aspect is that she is a big go getter for latinos and hispanics, it even came up in your first sentence.

Thats racism, innit?

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