Wise Latinas Have Got Sotomayor’s Back
16 July 2009, 3:09 PM. By Alex Alvarez
Several wisdom-rich Latinas are quite vocal about their belief that Sotomayor should not apologize for her now infamous “wise Latina” comments. They made the point that the experience of white men is more often than not considered the norm or status quo, so their backgrounds are never questioned or considered. Also: White men’s inherent simmering rage never comes out in the form of a chancleta to the face, and, rather, in super random ways like mass genocide and war.
Explained Wise Latina Lisa Garcia Bedolla, professor of social and cultural studies at the University of California-Berkeley:
There is a presumption that if you’re white and if you’re male, neither of these things inform your life, but if you are of color or a woman, somehow that is your defining trait.
Our color is “translucent, with a hint of vampire,” but we get what you’re saying, yes. Indeed! The idea of the white, heteronormative male experience being 1) homogenous and 2) neutral has always been very apparent to us.
However, in discussions revolving around Sotomayor’s ability to be an impartial and lawful Justice, we often notice that her Latinaness (that is, both her ethnicity and her gender) is brought up by Latinos in a way that has nothing to do with her capacity to judge. For example:
Judges aren’t machines. Sonia Sotomayor is wearing pink under her black jacket. She wears hoops as well as well as pearls.
She’s quite elegant in saying that we bring all that, but in the moment, ‘I will do what the law will demand.’
- Rossana Rosado, publisher and CEO of El Diario La Prensa.
There’s something very compelling about Sonia Sotomayor. When she was hobbling around on crutches, her (toenails) were painted bright orange red. That’s not Judge Ginsburg. You know no Latina worth her salt would be caught dead with unpedicured feet.
- Ana Navarro, senior adviser to John McCain’s presidential campaign.
In trying to shield or speak out against having Sotomayor painted by her white, male counterparts as little more than a walking label or activist agenda, are we also reducing her stereotypes that fit our own agenda or projections of what we’d like to see in a Latina Justice?
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Linda Chavez seems to think otherwise. It’s sad to see people forget the days when Hispanics were considered an “underclass” and now shout “no quotas” because they can get paid to appear on FOX and promote the Right Wing Anti-Latino or direction of this country actually becoming a country for “all people.”
All Sotomayor said was: in discrimination cases “I would hope more often than not” that those who suffered discrimination themselves directly would make a better decision than those who haven’t (i.e. white men). That’s it!
For fuck’s sake, why the hell should she apologize for making an absurdly obvious statement?!
Oh, and Linda Chavez: Sotomayor says, “Hi, hater.”
She made that comment 7 different times and was not using it to explain anything in a discrimination case. I, myself as a Latina took offense to the comment. As a minority I hear other minorities talking about everyone being treated fairly, we want equality right? Well then take the equality! Where was the outcry on Miguel Estrada when they were trying to confirm him? Oh, that’s right he is conservative!!Come on guys learn to be imformed!
Liar. The context was discrimination cases. Obviously, you’re a troll, but let me just say this: why focus on Estrada, a man who wasn’t nominated for the Supreme Court? Why focus on this one candidate when many Bush candidates for the Federal courts were not accepted? Odd, no? I wonder what it is about Miguel Estrada that makes you pick him? Equality, indeed.
GTFO.
Revisit your source of information…and then comment. Your ignorance and skewed views are clouding rational thought. Especially when you have to resort to useless acronyms (possibly insulting) that demonstrate you cannot express yourself in the written language.
To say that this statement is unacceptable and untrue is just being naive. Was her statement racist? …Yes.
However, her message isn’t one of hate or superiority. What she’s saying is,depending on the case, ones personal experience may lead them to better answer than someone one else with a different experience. This is true.
Unfortunately, because of the over sensitivities of ethnic minorities over many year, white males are now calling foul….and rightly so.
Her statement may be accurate, but she failed to articulate it in an acceptable manner.
Who cares. Its all theater. At the end of the day about 10 Republicans and 58 or 59 Dems (maybe even all sixty) are going to vote to confirm her. That’s what actually matters.
“no Latina worth her salt would be caught dead with unpedicured feet”…. *nervous laugh*
You are right on target…no need for nervous laugh…
the gop back off because thay can’t beat oboma in 2012 wake up the republicans just use latinas vote to keep there’re race in power
The balance is not changing in the Supreme Court. Why bother fighting a lost cause. Has nothing to do with this ignorant statement, “the gop back off because thay can’t beat oboma in 2012 wake up the republicans just use latinas vote to keep there’re race in power”.
i just can’t wait until a latina become president watch the racial slurs come out especially on fox news then people will why the republicans take such an offence to sototmeyer wise latina statement
Your writing skills need to be polished.
Last night the segment on Colbert Report called “The Word” had a good take on this…He basically called attention to the same thing you’re saying, Alex, which is (if I understand you correctly) that the mainstream media assumes the white male to the standard against which everyone else is measured.
Personally I’m tired of her Latina-ness being talked about. Yes, I am super proud of her and I love the fact that a PR woman will have this position, but I also think that to talk about her toenail polish defining her personality–instead of her professional accomplishments–is an insult.