Sotomayor’s confirmation a proud moment for Latinos highlighting their immense contributions to America Commentary
Sotomayor’s confirmation a proud moment for Latinos highlighting their immense contributions to America
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Joseph Morales [President, Maryland Hispanic Bar Association]: "On his remarks congratulating newly appointed Justice Sonia Sotomayor to the United States Supreme Court, President Obama explained that her confirmation was incredibly important for our Nation because it has sent the message to many of our children that nothing is out of reach if you work hard. The President said children around the country will now think "if Sotomayor can do it, so can I." The truth in the President's remarks cannot be challenged.

It is indeed a special time in the history of our country. With Justice Sonia Sotomayor as a role model we cannot do less but aspire to our own success striving always toward excellence. Among the turmoil of a financial crisis and military operations in two separate theaters, we can stop for a moment, ponder her Senate confirmation, and see America for what it is: a land where the strength of your character and your work ethic can help you reach the highest of goals and make a difference.

It is not just the inspiration Justice Sotomayor provides to our citizens, born out of her rise from humble beginnings in New York to the highest Court in the country, that makes this a special moment for America. The selection of a United States Supreme Court justice is not a regular occurrence. There have only been 111 individuals appointed to the high court (only three women, two African-American, and now one Latina). In average, each president may appoint two or at most three justices to the Court. As a result, only the best qualified make it to the President's "short list" and, of those, only the best make it through the appointment process. This is particularly the case in the last decade when the appointments to the Court have become increasingly scrutinized by both parties for political reasons.

No one should doubt that Judge Sotomayor is exceptionally well-qualified to sit on the Supreme Court as Associate Justice. She has been both assistant district attorney and a corporate litigator. President George H.W. Bush in 1992 and President Bill Clinton in 1998 found her legal qualifications unparalleled — the former nominated her to the federal district court, and the latter to the federal appeals court. On the US District Court, Southern District of New York, she presided over some 450 cases. As an appellate judge for the Second Circuit, she participated in more than 3,000 decisions and authored 380 opinions. It is telling that during her confirmation hearings, her critics focused not on her performance on the bench but on a few sentences taken out of context and made outside her role as a judge.

For the Hispanic/Latino community it is a particularly proud moment in the history of the United States. Justice Sotomayor's appointment has opened a new window through which America can view the immense contributions the Latino community makes to the country and the world every day. The confirmation process was a refreshing and invigorating one for our community. For a moment, the discussion shifted from the apparent burden of illegal immigration to the many contributions we, as Latinos, make. The Country had the opportunity to hear not just from Justice Sotomayor but from many of our leaders in every sphere of society – individuals who have also risen to the highest levels in their own professions. From this historic moment on, we are certain, the number of qualified and prepared Latinos taking leadership roles in government, academia and in the higher echelons in business will continue to increase for the benefit of the entire nation."

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