| | |  Editorials | Opinions | August 2009 
Latino Backlash
 Eva Rodriguez - The News
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August 06, 2009
| | On Thursday, the US Senate confirmed Sonia Sotomayor as the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice, by a vote of 68-31. (George Bridges/Associated Press) | |
We're not that stupid. Really. At least most of us aren't.
The full Senate on Tuesday began debating the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, and much is being made of possible Hispanic backlash against Republican senators who vote against her. In case you missed it, Sotomayor is the daughter of Puerto Ricans and would be the first Hispanic justice, if confirmed.
Top Democrats have generously warned colleagues from across the aisle that a vote against Sotomayor will be viewed by Hispanics as a vote against the entire community. Lionel Sosa, a political strategist, drove home that point in an interview with The Post: "Latinos see [Sotomayor] as a symbol of Hispanic leadership in America," he said. "If they vote against Sotomayor, it's a vote against Hispanic leadership in America. That's the way Latino voters will see it."
Oh really? All Latinos? Did I miss the memo? Good thing Sosa is himself Hispanic, otherwise he'd be vilified - and rightfully so - for perpetuating the most ridiculous and hurtful of stereotypes, namely that people who share a certain heritage, race or ethnicity all think alike.
Sosa's comments also suggest that we Latinos will feel personally slighted by those who give her the thumbs down. A no vote against her is a no vote against us, he seems to say. Reading even further between Sosa's lines: We, Latinos, are ill-informed and have no idea what Sotomayor thinks about due process or preemption or disparate impact analysis under Title VII, but she's one of us and that's good enough!
Look, I'm under no illusions: I know that there are plenty of people out there who know little or nothing of Sotomayor's legal views yet have formed strong opinions about her. I have no doubt whatsoever that some of my Latino brethren support her solely because she is Puerto Rican, just as I have no doubt there are way too many who look askance at her nomination for the same reason. These views deserve nothing but contempt. As does the idea that all Latino voters will exact political payback against those who vote no on Sotomayor.
Luckily, most Republican senators aren't buying this. Some 28 GOP senators have announced their intention to vote against Sotomayor. Some cite her vote against white firefighters in an employment discrimination case; others refer to her record on gun rights. Some argue that she will let her personal feelings override the dictates of the law if she's elevated to the Supreme Court.
I happen to disagree with these critics and think the extraordinarily well-qualified Sotomayor should be confirmed and by a wide margin. Will I be disappointed if only a few Republicans give her their vote? Absolutely. Will I hold it against them? Absolutely not. |
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