US. - The United States Supreme Court is the highest court of the land. It is composed of nine judges. Despite the fact that half of the states of the United States have Spanish cultural heritage and influence since the 1500's - no Hispanic or Latino has ever served as a Supreme Court Justice - although Latinos are now the largest so-called minority, and growing.
However a big controversy arose when Bronx Puerto Rican nominee Sonia Sotomayor said in a 2001 speech that "a wise Latino woman with the richness of her experience would more often that not reach a better conclusion than a white male that hasn't lived that life". Many of us agree. So let's "drill down" to the South Bronx with that statement. I for one do not remember too many "white Anglo males" living and struggling in the South Bronx in recent years. I should know.
I had the the distinct honor and privilege of serving as President of School Board District #7 , which is located in the heart of the South Bronx, and is also the neighborhood where Judge Sonia Sotomayor was born and raised.
Hey, the South Bronx is a tough, hard, tempting place with many a good people, just plenty of bad Press.
For one, Sonia's mother worked two jobs after her father died to send her to private schools. Young Sonia subsequently graduated Summa Cum Laude from Princeton University. As an Ivy-parent that fact alone impressed me. Princeton was traditionally known as a "Southern Plantation" principally because it was the last "Ivy University" to accept African-Americans after years of resistance. And once had a President who was a member of the Ku Klux Klan. Wow !!! , can you believe that ?
Jude Sotomayor writes how she felt she was in a strange planet while at Princeton. Better still for you to have a better taste the place, just read Otis Graham's book "Member of the Club" and learn his experience at Princeton.
When I see her limping around on Television with a big smile with crutches on her broken ankle persuading Senators - really makes one think "Pobrecita", the things a "Poor little girl form the South Bronx has to do to be approved to the Supreme Court. The President's nomination not withstanding.
However my beef also with conservatives is their amnesia of the famous Puerto Rican 65th Infantry and how Puerto Ricans earned their place in the "American Sun" by proudly serving and contributing their youth's "Blood Tax" to two American conflicts - WW II and the Korean War - while enduring discrimination similar to Mexican-American soldiers along the way.
In closing I learned from South Bronx parents - to be a plain speaker. To be sincere, to speak honestly with no "bull".
So to those narrow-minded folks who oppose the appointment of Judge Sotomayor I ask them to read the words of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, the Italian-American who said upon his nomination to the Supreme Court the following words -" when I get a case about discrimination I have to think how my own family suffered discrimination". Judge Sonia Sotomayor can easily identify with these words.
Our time has arrived, let's support the first Latina to the Supreme Court of the United States.
De José del C. Paulino
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