Seeking Diversity in the Supreme Court
In the last few weeks, there have been numerous articles and interviews published on Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to the Supreme Court. I read with pride and excitement the news and having known Sonia from college, I swelled with pride that a fellow Princetonian had been nominated for this prestigious position. It was even more of an accomplishment knowing that she was the first Latina to be considered. But within minutes of the announcement I witnessed a shameless attack on her integrity and ability to render a fair, unbiased decision because she identifies as a Latina. We all expect the political posturing to occur - Republicans to attack Democratic nominees and so forth but what makes this different is the accusation that she is a racist.
While I may not have the audience of a Rush Limbaugh, I feel more than qualified to speak up as a Princeton graduate who attended college in the 70’s and who also happens to be a minority - African American. Interestingly, the arguments as to whether or not Sonia is qualified to serve have not come into question, given that she is a graduate of Princeton which has had, to my knowledge, 10 graduates who served on the court. What has come into play is the ludicrous notion that she is racist because she identifies herself as a woman of Latino descent. Her identification as a Latina has become the sole point of contention around the discussion as to her ability to serve on the court. If she identified herself as something other than what she is, would that have said more about her capabilities?
But this is not a new criticism. I remember the close scrutiny paid to Michelle Obama’s senior thesis during the election because she suggested that the experiences of minority students at Princeton were not ideal. The truth is the truth whether you choose to sugar coat it or not. Many Princeton graduates report similar experiences while attending Princeton. These views have been documented in numerous articles, interviews, videos and in discussions amongst alumni and faculty and comes as no surprise to both Princeton faculty and administrators who continue to look at ways that they can ensure that the educational experience at Princeton is one of mutual respect and inclusion for all of its students.
For many of us who attended Princeton in the early 70’s, Princeton was just becoming acclimated to the presence of women and minorities in larger numbers. While the university had successfully recruited and admitted freshman classes that were diverse, attracting African Americans, Latinos from the East and West Coast, Native Americans, Asian and foreign students from around the world, the old tradition-laden systems of Princeton were slow to catch up. Most minority students who came to Princeton found themselves on a campus that, while accepting them as enrolled students, treated them as second class citizens and found ways to exclude them from the full Princeton experience.
Princeton like many colleges in the 60’s and 70’s saw the value of having a diverse student body. Intellectual discourse that includes a variety of voices, perspectives and experiences enables all students to gain a richer understanding of the world. Princeton believed that these voices could not only be found in the hallowed halls of Exeter and Andover but also in inner city public schools, urban parochial schools, suburbs and rural schools across the nation. And in fact, by these measures, Sonia’s story is not just her success story but that of all of us who used our opportunities to reach goals we might not have reached under different circumstances. Many of us believe that our opportunity and success does not preclude us from reaching back and helping lift up those we left behind in our families, communities and country. Many minority graduates who attended college in the 60’s and 70’s share a passion to use their education to make a better world for everyone. We can no more forget our humble beginnings than we can forget our social security number.
Our accomplishments make us proud of what we have accomplished in spite of our humble beginnings. Since when is pride in family, culture or heritage racist? The assertion that she is a racist is sheer projection. Racism implies power, not attitude. When one group believes themselves to be superior to some other group and denies them the rights, respect and fair treatment they accord themselves because of that person’s race…then you have racism. The power to deny employment, access to education, or equal protection under the law is what we cannot allow. To assume that a person who expresses pride in their heritage is exercising power over someone else is erroneous and reflects a projection of the critics’ own beliefs. Nothing in Sonia’s history of employment suggests that she is anything but fair.
The critics of Sonia Sotomayor do not understand the true value of diversity. It is not about quotas or numbers, but rather about the diversity in experience, background and perspective which helps us understand each other. The value is that a more inclusive contribution of ideas and perspectives and talents renders an outcome far richer than one based on similar ideas and perspectives.
Defining what is American is difficult. We are a country of people - those native to the land, slaves brought here as property, immigrants looking for a better life. We come from every corner of the world. We represent the best and sometimes the worst in American history. We struggle with intolerance, racism, discrimination and all that ails society. But out of that we are a nation of peoples. This diversity is what truly defines American. No other nation has such a rich fabric. The Supreme Court should represent this fabric.
Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination represents change. An outspoken, intelligent Ivy League educated Latina, born in the slums of Bronx, challenges the notion of what makes a good Supreme Court Justice. Sonia Sotomayor is an American success story. She reflects our experiences, hopes and dreams for a society that is inclusive in spite of gender, ethnicity or class. Whatever decisions are ultimately rendered by the court must represent all Americans. Anything less will diminish the court’s respect and its value to our nation as we struggle with challenges of the 21st century.
