Laura Elizabeth Morales
Margarita Carmen Cansino became an icon in American film as a red carpet beauty who starred in such films as Tales of Manhattan" Youll Never Get Right" and You Were Never Lovelier" but you might know her better as Rita Hayworth. Immortalized in both film and song Rita Hayworths Hollywood glamour forever cement her into American film royalty. However Ritas contract required her to dye her hair red and change her name. Changing a Latin name to make it big in music and movies was something many Hispanic hopefuls came to terms with because of the way things were.
So naturally I feel proud that a fellow Hispanic female can break through a barrier whether in music movies or even in Washington. Hispanics have come a long way from the age where we suffered from segregation and had to change our names and narratives to make something of our lives.
As Americans we should be proud of Sonia Sotomayor for achieving what we all dream of: the American Dream. But we should be wary of those who try to change policy to make the American Dream unattainable. Unfortunately Sotomayors record proves that she will utilize judicial activism and bias in her rulings to make the American Dream unattainable for many hardworking Americans.
A prime example of her clouded judgment on the bench is her belief in perpetuating racial and ethnic barriers by subscribing to a belief that ethnicity and gender make grant wiser discretion than others.
I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasnt lived that life" said Sotomayor in a 2001 speech at the University of California at Berkeley.
Liberal commentators and the news media have asked us to view the comment in its context. As such take note that the speech was reprinted by the Berkeley La Raza Law Journal. La Raza has been known for its extremist positions and have also strongly advocated muzzles on the First Amendment like the proposed fairness doctrine."
One of Sotomayors most analyzed cases is now pending on the United States Supreme Court. Ricci vs. Destefano is a case that deals with test scores of 118 applicants of the New Haven Connecticut Fire Department. The ruling which included Sotomayors judgment was in favor of the citys decision to toss out the test scores. These scores would determine eligibility of promotion with spots reserved specifically for the top performers. The top performers in of the pool of 118 applicants included 17 whites and two Hispanics.
They know if they read the books and studied it means more money in their pockets for the rest of their lives. To Sotomayor it didnt cost her a dime. It cost these guys a lifetime" explained Lt. James Blakeslee in a Wall Street Journal Blog entry.
Blind justice as represented by Lady Justice herself would argue that the courts treat all individuals equal under the law regardless of their race ethnicity or gender. This is a judicial philosophy that is seemingly rejected by Sotomayor who on numerous occasions has stressed that her gender and ethnicity grant her the ability to make a wiser decision than a white male.
Since the 2008 election people have been asking what conservatism stands for. Well if nothing else it stands unequivocally against justice as empathy -- and unequivocally for the principle of blind justice." wrote Charles Krauthammer in a Washington Post Op-Ed.
Fellow Americans and to my fellow Hispanic females I implore you to look past Sotomayors narrative and look at her record.
