Sotomayor: My women-only club isn’t discriminatory but I’m quitting it anyway
posted at 8:41 pm on June 19, 2009 by Allahpundit
Share on Facebook | printer-friendly
Makes sense. Who among us hasn’t distanced themselves from something they personally have no problem with?
Sotomayor said she resigned from the Belizean Grove to prevent the issue from becoming a distraction in her confirmation hearings.
In a letter to Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, the federal appeals court judge said she is convinced that the club does not practice “invidious discrimination” and that her membership in it did not violate judicial ethics.
But she said she didn’t want questions about it to “distract anyone from my qualifications and record.”
Federal judges are bound by a code that says they shouldn’t join any organization that discriminates by race, sex, religion or nationality.
I get that the uproar over this is a reprisal for the left wetting itself over Alito belonging to a men-only club, but isn’t this kind of … stupid? The hallmark of true discrimination is the shared sentiment that those who don’t belong to the empowered group are somehow inferior. Is that really what’s going on with (most) clubs that are restrictive by gender? It’s not a superiority/inferiority thing, it’s a gender-differences-are-relevant-to-comfort-levels thing. And before anyone yells at me, bear in mind that even our Equal Protection jurisprudence observes that distinction: Racially discriminatory laws are analyzed with “strict scrutiny, meaning that they’re (almost) always unconstitutional, whereas laws that discriminate by gender are analyzed with “intermediate scrutiny,” meaning they need to have a good reason to discriminate for a court to uphold them. Aside from the Alito “quid pro quo” aspect of this, does anyone really have a problem with Sotomayor belonging to this dopey elitist group?
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: « Previous 1 2
You know why they really stopped calling after that? Guys only have pig parties every once in a while.
James on June 20, 2009 at 2:10 PM
The question is; are we getting the best available? This is a lifetime position to the highest court. One would think that logic would prevail over identity politics and affirmative action candidates [whom] needed grade help, twice, and actually got the chances she had because of her nationality. She doesn’t appear any worse really but nor does she stand out, at all. She does however hold significant baggage in that she appears totally wrapped up in identity politics and in the end, has the temerity to ascribe bias to institutions that in fact got her where she is, she reminds me of an old sourpuss whom has a free ham under an arm and complains she has no bag to put it in. can we trust her to be fair? Not in my opinion. We need the best and balanced.
imperator on June 20, 2009 at 4:15 PM
Doesn’t anyone question why this is a story when for decades the media has pretended like Bohemian Grove doesn’t exist and that anyone who acknowledges its existence is crazy? Now a few lesbians get together for a private drum circle and it’s some sort of scandal? If it’s A-OK for male politicians to get together with each other in private meetings and conduct secret rituals and pledge to give preferential treatment to each other and plot to control the reins of government and engineer society then why isn’t it OK for women to do it? And if it isn’t OK then 90% of the Congress and Senate needs to step down.
universalagent on June 20, 2009 at 7:34 PM
I’m OK with that.
James on June 20, 2009 at 8:02 PM
Ugly dyke.
LarryG on June 20, 2009 at 9:55 PM
What’s with her face, so many areas that look swollen. Are they face fat? Perhaps face lipo would help. I’d call her a dog but I love dogs and would never insult them like that.
Jeff from WI on June 21, 2009 at 8:24 AM
Supreme Court will now feature it’s two women. The wicked Witch Of The West, and Soto, the Latina Lady Circus Freak.
Proof LIBERAL WOMEN should be required to wear bags over their heads in public.
Jeff from WI on June 21, 2009 at 8:27 AM
They did? I suggest a re-reading of the Alito confirmation transcripts. The vilification is as usual one sided, here? its ho hum, for Alito, not quite.
imperator on June 21, 2009 at 11:08 AM
I don’t have a problem with her belonging to a “women only club”. I think people get too bent out of shape over those things. However – I think Sotomoyor’s views on gender and race are reflected in her choice of groups to belong to and her statements about how her racial/gender background are superior to “old white men”. That view point is flies in the face of what I believe a supreme court judge’s views should be.
MidWestFarmer on June 21, 2009 at 12:14 PM
Glad to see you elevating the level of discourse. Going after a woman’s looks and/or sexual orientation- that’s really original.
MNExpatriate on June 21, 2009 at 6:54 PM
It isn’t belonging to a group of like mined people but the purpose behind it. Have a look at those members in the Obama administration — White House Council on Women and Girls, March 2009. Padding their resumes so they can get a public/private job when they leave the White House. Brilliant maneuvers. Paid to lobby, run govt. funds, or take taxpayer dollars:
http://thenewagenda.net/2009/06/18/shining-a-light-without-illuminating/
Tina Brown covered this in her article for the Daily Beast (14/06/09) — “what real female power looks like.” Networking. And don’t forget that some women in power are more equal than others:
http://www.conservatives4palin.com/2009/06/sweet-tina-brown-has-some-advice-for.html
FeFe on June 21, 2009 at 7:39 PM
Well perhaps we should discuss how she brings “diversity” to the Supreme Court. No wait,since her job on the Supreme Court is NOT to write new law, but to follow the Constitution, there’s really not much more to comment about.
Jeff from WI on June 22, 2009 at 7:10 AM
Well look over the HA site.For women we have pictured Megyn Kelly, cutie, the Iraqi martyr cutie, and even lefty third place but not terrible really, Capricia Marshall. Then there’s Sotomayer. It’s hard to even think of Soto as the same species.
Jeff from WI on June 22, 2009 at 7:25 AM
So what are the chances of a man who belonged to a “Mens Only” club being appointed to the supreme court? Liberals are such sexist, racist hypocrits!
TrickyDick on June 22, 2009 at 8:47 AM
AMEN!
Jeff from WI on June 22, 2009 at 9:08 AM
Comment pages: « Previous 1 2