Sonia Sotomayor is taking a beating from conservatives for her 2001 speech saying that gender and race will inevitably impact one’s judgment and jurisprudence.
But guess who said something very similar? Moderately conservative Sandra Day O’Connor, who was appointed to the Supreme Court by Ronald Reagan in 1981.
O’Connor said she brings to the court the “perspective of a woman” in an interview with Ladies Home Journal soon after she was appointed. While
O’Connor also said there were other factors that influence her judging more than her gender, she clearly said it was a factor. Here’s how the Associated Press reported her comments in March of 1982 (via Nexis):
The first woman on the high court tends to play down that role somewhat. “I think that I bring to the court differences in background that are more germane than my gender,” she said.
“My experience as a legislator gives me a different perspective. Also, I bring to the court the perspective of a woman primarily in a sense that I am female, just as I am white, a college graduate, etc.
“Yes, I will bring the understanding of a woman to the court, but I doubt that that alone will affect my decisions,” she said. “I think the important fact about my appointment is not that I will decide cases as a woman, but that I am a woman who will get to decide cases.”
Read on.
1 comment:
I remember when Reagan picked Justice O'Connor and the GOP weren't happy about it but Reagan was popular so most didn't push the issue. But many voiced outrage that a woman would be a Justice. Many who are still Law Makers today said woman weren't smart enough and it was enough that a black Justice had been seated. Well at lease George H. W. Bush knew what he was doing when he picked an unqualified insane Justice name Clarence Thomas who has done nothing but follow orders on how to vote and as we know now he talks to dead people often.
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