The Justice

Media Credit: Max Breitstein Matza Prof. Anita Hill (Heller) above spoke about the implications of Judge Sonia Sotomayor's rise to power.

A round-table discussion on the confirmation hearings of Justice Sonia Sotomayor focused on questions of gender, race and ethnicity in U.S. public and political life last Thursday.

The event was co-sponsered by the American Studies and Legal Studies departments. Panelists Profs. Richard Gaskins (AMST), Anita Hill (Heller) and James Mandrell (ROMS) spoke at the event.

Sotomayor was confirmed to the Supreme Court on Aug. 6 by a Senate vote of 68 to 31. Most criticisms about her centered around a 2001 remark in which she stated, "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 hasn't lived that life."

Each panelist shared thoughts regarding the hearings and then turned to the Brandeis students and faculty present for an open discussion.

Gaskins noted that the first major Supreme court nominee to face scrutiny similar to that which surrounded Sotomayor involved the University's namesake, Louis Brandeis. Nominated by Woodrow Wilson, Brandeis was the first Jew to serve on the Court; 93 years later, Sotomayor has been the first Latin American to take a similar stride.

Sotomayor "earned the reputation of being a 'wise' Latina" by handling the hearings calmly and stoically, said Gaskins, in a play on Sotomayor's own controversial words.

"[Sotomayor] is someone whose life has been changed by the law," said Hill. "Her relationship with the law is not just academic ... It is real and personal," she said.

"That is one of the reasons I think she is going to make a fine jurist," Hill added.

When asked whether race or gender is a more prominent issue today by a student in the audience, Hill says, "I'm not sure either are easier to resolve. It has become uncivil for any of us to recognize our race. It has become an inappropriate thing to talk about. If [Sotomayor] had said a 'wise woman' [instead of wise Latina], I don't think it would have gotten her in as much trouble."

Continued...

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