The Remarks Of The GOP During Sotomayor's Confirmation Hearings Are Absolute Racist B.S.

[TomCADem]

Scalia and Alito refer to their experience as Italian Americans, and it makes them better jurors, but Judge Sotomayor's comments about her Hispanic heritage and her experience as a woman suggests that she is not impartial? So, white men are presumed to be impartial such that they can freely cite their experiences as shaping their judicial philosophy, but if you are a woman or a minority, any reference to that background makes you suspect?

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But Alito, to show he has empathy, told his own story at his hearing, calling his family immigrants and Italian Americans:

"When I get a case about discrimination, I have to think about people in my own family who suffered discrimination because of their ethnic background or because of religion or because of gender. And I do take that into account."

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In contrast, here is Senator Sessions on Sotomayor's confirmation hearings:

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Sotomayor spoke soon after Senate Republicans opened the confirmation hearings Monday morning with surprisingly tough attacks, including a fusillade in which the panel’s ranking member, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), called Sotomayor’s views on the role of personal experience in judging “shocking and offensive to me.”

“I will not vote for — no senator should vote for — an individual nominated by any president who believes it is acceptable for a judge to allow their own personal background, gender, prejudices, or sympathies to sway their decision in favor of, or against, parties before the court,” said Sessions.

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I guess I should not be surprised after a Fox News anchor makes a shoutout to racial purity, and the failed effort by Republicans to criminalize undocumented immigrants during the Bush years, but it is shocking nonetheless.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090713/pl_politico/24863

[chelsea0011]

1. Scalia is a practicing catholic. Catholics view abortion as murder.

You think his experience reflects his feelings on Roe v Wade?

[TomCADem]

2. But That's Okay With The GOP and Sen. James Inhofe

However, if you are a woman or a minority, then its called bias, which should disqualify you. As noted by Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) in a statement that Sotomayor may be subject to the “undue influence” of her race and gender:

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Of primary concern to me is whether or not Judge Sotomayor follows the proper role of judges and refrains from legislating from the bench. Some of her recent comments on this matter have given me cause for great concern. In the months ahead, it will be important for those of us in the U.S. Senate to weigh her qualifications and character as well as her ability to rule fairly without undue influence from her own personal race, gender, or political preferences.

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[Solomon]

3. Man this has got to be one of the greatest posts recently.

Damn you hit the nail on the head. I was just complaining to my wife about this same thing but I couldn't express it this well.

Kudos! :thumbsup:

[mnhtnbb]

4. The double standard is alive and well in the Repub Ole' boys club.

I hope one of the Dem Senators nails them on their bias.

[TomCADem]

5. Today - Jeff Sessions Demonstrates The Higher Burden Faced By Minorities & Women

He is repeatedly asking her to demonstrate that her identity as latina woman will not have an impact on her impartiality. Yet, where was this opposition to judges like Alito who proudly referred to their Italian American heritage. Instead, a minority woman had to demonstrate that their gender and ethnicity does not disqualify them, and god forbid that you speak in favor of diversity on the bench, because such advocacy must mean that cannot be partial.

Amazing. A nominee's arguments in favor of diversity are used to justify opposing diversity on the bench.

[Cha]

6. Republicons = Hypocrites

and con artists..only they aren't so artistic anymore.

[Pacifist Patriot]

7. It is not just racism.

I suspect if a hispanic conservative had been in front of them they would have embraced his comments about his heritage much like Alito's.

It is not just sexism.

I suspect if a hispanic conservative female had been in front of them they would have taken a much gentler approach.

It is racist, sexist bullshit because her politics do not align with theirs and therefore she is "other" which means unworthy of inherent respect and dignity. It's chilling to contemplate, but look at what is being espoused openly during presidential campaigns, on radio broadcasts, in popular books, etc. Liberals deserve to die.

Don't get me wrong. I think there is way too much racist and sexist crap coming from the far right. But don't think lily white skin and/or a penis will serve as protection against some conservative whack job. Just ask the folks in Knoxville.

[eppur_se_muova]

8. I just learned today that "allophobia" (fear of the other) is an actual English word.

(well, Greek-derived English)

Xenophobia (fear of strangers/foreigners) is a subset of allophobia.

I'm sure freepers will think allophobia is fear of everything. :rofl:

[Pacifist Patriot]

9. *snort* I think you may be right.

[MadMaddie]

10. The Repugs Sessions has sealed their fate for the next generation

Many Americans who have never experienced blatent racism and sexism they are wide awake now.

They watched Sessions avoid talking about the 3000 cases that she ruled on but only focused on a sentence that she gave not in the capacity of sitting in the court but to motivate young latino lawyers.

The Repugs can't hide their sheets and pointy hats anymore....the non-secret, secret is out.

[Leo The Cleo]

11. Hit the nail on the head!