Sonia Sotomayor Gets Confirmed

How's that for a first post?

Okay, yes, I know that she has not yet been confirmed by the U.S. Senate, but the day will soon come when that will happen--and it will happen. She needs only fifty votes from the Senate because the Vice President is the one who has to break any ties and he won't go against Obama in this instance. Sotomayor already has six GOP senators who will vote for her confirmation, though she needed none and she has the support of Bar Associations and Yale School of Law to go along with that. It's been said that she is the most qualified nominee for the Supreme Court in a century. Many wonder what more you could ask for in a nominee and given her seventeen years on a federal bench, the question is very valid.

But what are the thoughts of a 22-year-old Libertarian, African-American male about the nomination? In one word, mixed. Yes, this is quite a historic achievement, I'll never deny that as long as I live. Sotomayor's nomination and overall story is deeply rooted in the longstanding American Dream and her family should be exceedingly proud of this woman who has shown that even she, from the Bronx, can rise to the highest court in the land and do it the right way.

The richness of her experience is a topic of question, though. As a justice of the United States Supreme Court, her oath (which stands for life) calls for her to administer justice without respect for person. This is why the woman holding the scales of justice is blindfolded, because that is what justice is supposed to be. I don't believe for a second that Sonia Sotomayor is a racist or a prejudiced person. I do believe, however, the following:

1) The Constitution of the United States, and no other document, domestically or internationally, is designed to guide a federal judge in his or her decision making . The interpretations of the constitution, while they may differ amongst the different justices, are supposed to be the cornerstones for these decisions they make as administrators.

2) After enough thought and consideration of the different sides in the fight against racial discrimination, I do find it to be wrong. I also, however, find reverse discrimination to be equally wrong and for it to have no place in society. Despite this, I doubt that laws or legislation (especially from the bench) should tear down such walls and not consider people and their free will might not be as open to the idea of change as a neighbor would be. The Ricci decision was the wrong one, plain and simple.

Just as curbing a test so that more students pass is wrong, so are throwing out results just because a certain amount of black firefighter applicants did not pass the written exam. If this is the exam that all firefighters in the state of Connecticut must take to become a firefighter, then it is fair. Being a firefighter is a privilege and not a right and in order to take part in this privilege, one must pass a litmus test according to those higher-ups who have a hand in making the test and providing such a benchmark. It's not fair, but what in life really is?

3)"...the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

This is the relevant portion of the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution dealing with the right of the people to own weapons. Sonia Sotomayor has been very hush-hush about it, even though it's her job to tell people that they still have a right to their weapons; to protect themselves from government getting out of control, and not just for leisure. If she truly does not believe or stand by this principle, then she is not truly on the side of the American people. I understand the controversy and feel it only necessary to remind people that guns don't kill; people do.

That's the bottom line; guns and weapons are only dangerous when they are used and/or they are in the wrong hands. If people wisely use weapons (i.e., they know how to use them properly) , then they become less dangerous and less crime takes place as people moderate between their own disputes, settling them before they get out of hand. If less crime takes place, then less police carrying guns and having fear in their hearts for all the wrong reasons are out on the streets committing less crimes with these guns by killing people who haven't broken the law and who's only crime is the color of their skin. This comes as a result of people having the right to their guns.

Do you understand, President Obama, Attorney General Holder and (future) Justice Sotomayor? The reason why people cling to their guns is because it is their right! People cling to their guns for fear that they believe their rights are being unlawfully taken away and I feel for them, even though I don't own a gun myself. It is not for you to decide on people's rights and this is one of the main reasons why I'm mixed with the Sotomayor confirmation.

Though like I said, even with my feelings, I just think that there's nothing stopping this choice. Sotomayor will be justice number 111, will be the third female judge and will be the first Latina judge, making history on those counts. I just have some concern given her record, her cases and 'the rich experiences of a wise Latina woman'.

I just don't know if they are right for the highest court of the land with no chance of an appeal and her decisions potentially affecting the lives of all of us...for better or for worse.

Now, how's that for a first post?