Who is Sonia Sotomayor?

This week the media was abuzz with charges that Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor is racist for a comment she made in 2001. Have it be known, I am not a fan of Sotomayor. But, the debate about her nomination provides yet another high profile pulse check on this country’s completely misdirected analysis of racism.

What is wrong with someone stating that her subject position — as someone who has faced a number of very real hurdles — might imbue her with a responsibility to think more sharply, more deeply, and with more complexity about the social and legal issues of our time? To me, her comment says nothing of being smarter or better; it is an articulation of her personal commitment to acting smarter, and striving for better thinking in lawmaking. She’s saying her experience provides a vantage point from which she might use her power more responsibly. Her comment reflects an ethic of holding oneself to a higher standard, of not forgetting what the world looks like from the other side of the bench.

As I said, I am not convinced she is the best for the court, but you should all decide for yourselves and ignore this nonsense about reverse racism.

The kind librarians at Library of Congress put together these resources for you:

Congressional Documents

These are her two confirmation hearings:

United States.  Congress.  Senate.  Committee on the Judiciary.  Confirmation Hearings on Federal Appointments, Part 9. Washington: US G.P.O., 1992.  S. Hrg. 102-505, pt. 9.

United States.  Congress.  Senate. Committee on the Judiciary.  Confirmation Hearings on Federal Appointments, Part 2. Washington: US G.P.O., 1998.  S. Hrg. 105-205, pt. 2.

Cases

According to Lexis, Judge Sotomayor authored 422 opinions when on the bench for the Southern District of New York and 232 opinions with the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. She also wrote 22 concurring opinions and 21 dissents as an appellate judge. Second Circuit opinions are available from the Court’s website (use Sotomayor as a search term).

Click here for more articles, web resources and more on Sotomayor.

Legislation to Watch: H.R. 1476 and 1800

Last month, two important pieces of legislation were proposed in the House.

• The Safe and Secure America Act, H.R. 1467, was introduced on March 12, 2009 by Sen. Lamar Smith (R-TX). The bill proposes a 10-year extension on “roving” wiretap powers and government access to library patron records. These provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act are scheduled to sunset this December. Rather than revise the constitutionally questionable sections, this bill would extend them (and the much contested FISA Amendments) until December 31, 2019. Stay up to date: Track H.R. 1467 here.

• The National Security Letters Reform Act of 2009, H.R. 1800, was introduced March 30, 2009, by Rep. Jerrold Nadler. The bill raises the standard needed for the FBI to obtain National Security Letters, and stipulates that NSLs must not be used to spy on U.S. residents based solely on First Amendment activities. See ACLU “Legislation Introduced To Curtail Patriot Act Abuse” (3/30/09), and stay up to date: Track H.R. 1800 here.

Digital TV for the People

Yesterday (April 17th) groups around the country teamed up for a Digital TV National Day of Action. Coordinated by the Media Action Grassroots Network, the multi-city effort is part of a months-long campaign for a more socially responsible transition to DTV (just around the corner on June 12, 2009!).

According to the coalition, “With up to 20 million people, including seniors, low mobility, low income, people of color and rural communities unready for the transition, we must ensure a no cost digital transition in the interest of democracy and the common good, not corporate profits.”

Participating cities included:

Albuquerque-Santa Fe
Minneapolis-St. Paul
Louisville
Philadelphia
San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose
Seattle-Tacoma
New York City
San Antonio

For more on the public information access and public space issues at stake, along with photos and stories from the National Day of Action, see the DTV for the People blog.