Comments on: Sotomayor and Race in America http://www.racismreview.com/blog/2009/06/18/sotomayor-and-race-in-america/ Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:23:48 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: No1KState http://www.racismreview.com/blog/2009/06/18/sotomayor-and-race-in-america/comment-page-1/#comment-7993 No1KState Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:35:31 +0000 http://www.racismreview.com/blog/?p=2530#comment-7993 Great to dialogue with you, Eric! I'm not holding my breath when it comes to the Senate apology. Apparently, along with the apology came the instruction that it should not be used to make a case for reparations. Great to dialogue with you, Eric! I’m not holding my breath when it comes to the Senate apology. Apparently, along with the apology came the instruction that it should not be used to make a case for reparations.

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]]> By: Erik Love http://www.racismreview.com/blog/2009/06/18/sotomayor-and-race-in-america/comment-page-1/#comment-7990 Erik Love Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:05:15 +0000 http://www.racismreview.com/blog/?p=2530#comment-7990 Thanks to Jessie and Joe for publishing my article in this fantastic venue. And thanks to you all for your kind words and thoughtful comments. I agree with No1KState that it might be possible (or desirable) to institute separate <i>and</i> equal schools. And I further agree the possibility of alternative institutions shouldn't excuse the willful denial of racist (and definitely unequal) segregation currently in place across American school systems. It's certainly no longer controversial to claim that our schools are in crisis, and the racial dimension of that crisis is particularly alarming. Now, we only need to convince policymakers (including appellate court judges) to move on that crisis. So this is a bit off topic, but it bears mention that the House version of the "stimulus" package (American Reinvestment and Recovery Act) had in it a massive, federal infusion of funding to improve school infrastructure. Much of that desperately needed cash would have gone to improve the often dilapidated public school buildings in urban areas, which of course are schools attended mostly by nonwhite students. The Senate senselessly stripped that funding out of the bill, after some senators opined that federal funding for schools would undermine the principle of "local control." The White House senselessly did not make a fuss about the lost school construction provision of the stimulus. And the cycle of inequality between suburban and urban schools is allowed to continue. I also agree with Randy B. and distance88, who both emphasize the need to recognize, repudiate, and compensate for America's racist history. The courts have long been a place where history has no bearing, even in cases clearly demarcated by race. I hope that Justice Sotomayor helps to put some historical (and contemporary empirical) perspective back in the Supreme Court. Ironically, while I was writing this article (and just as it went to "press"), the US Senate apologized for slavery for the first time ever. It will be amazing to see whether that apology plays a role in the near future, in the Supreme Court's ruling in the voting rights case, or in the confirmation hearings for Sotomayor. Thanks to Jessie and Joe for publishing my article in this fantastic venue. And thanks to you all for your kind words and thoughtful comments.

I agree with No1KState that it might be possible (or desirable) to institute separate and equal schools. And I further agree the possibility of alternative institutions shouldn’t excuse the willful denial of racist (and definitely unequal) segregation currently in place across American school systems. It’s certainly no longer controversial to claim that our schools are in crisis, and the racial dimension of that crisis is particularly alarming. Now, we only need to convince policymakers (including appellate court judges) to move on that crisis.

So this is a bit off topic, but it bears mention that the House version of the “stimulus” package (American Reinvestment and Recovery Act) had in it a massive, federal infusion of funding to improve school infrastructure. Much of that desperately needed cash would have gone to improve the often dilapidated public school buildings in urban areas, which of course are schools attended mostly by nonwhite students. The Senate senselessly stripped that funding out of the bill, after some senators opined that federal funding for schools would undermine the principle of “local control.” The White House senselessly did not make a fuss about the lost school construction provision of the stimulus. And the cycle of inequality between suburban and urban schools is allowed to continue.

I also agree with Randy B. and distance88, who both emphasize the need to recognize, repudiate, and compensate for America’s racist history. The courts have long been a place where history has no bearing, even in cases clearly demarcated by race. I hope that Justice Sotomayor helps to put some historical (and contemporary empirical) perspective back in the Supreme Court.

Ironically, while I was writing this article (and just as it went to “press”), the US Senate apologized for slavery for the first time ever. It will be amazing to see whether that apology plays a role in the near future, in the Supreme Court’s ruling in the voting rights case, or in the confirmation hearings for Sotomayor.

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]]> By: distance88 http://www.racismreview.com/blog/2009/06/18/sotomayor-and-race-in-america/comment-page-1/#comment-7984 distance88 Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:11:04 +0000 http://www.racismreview.com/blog/?p=2530#comment-7984 Excellent read. I think 'color-blindness' is scary for many reasons, but primarily because it assumes that we are living in some sort of racial vacuum--clearly ignoring the existing racial hierarchy while erasing this country's racial history. Excellent read. I think ‘color-blindness’ is scary for many reasons, but primarily because it assumes that we are living in some sort of racial vacuum–clearly ignoring the existing racial hierarchy while erasing this country’s racial history.

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]]> By: Sotomayor and Race in America | The Most Important Blog... Ever http://www.racismreview.com/blog/2009/06/18/sotomayor-and-race-in-america/comment-page-1/#comment-7983 Sotomayor and Race in America | The Most Important Blog... Ever Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:51:33 +0000 http://www.racismreview.com/blog/?p=2530#comment-7983 [...] article originally appeared at New Racial Studies, and at Racismreview.com. tweetmeme_url = [...] [...] article originally appeared at New Racial Studies, and at Racismreview.com. tweetmeme_url = [...]

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]]> By: Randy B. http://www.racismreview.com/blog/2009/06/18/sotomayor-and-race-in-america/comment-page-1/#comment-7975 Randy B. Fri, 19 Jun 2009 04:23:52 +0000 http://www.racismreview.com/blog/?p=2530#comment-7975 It is said that racist societies create a historiography that support or reinforce racial superiority. In America, we are creating a historiography that excuses our 234+ years of slavery and discrimination. Our legal system is not immune to the creation of this historiography. As judges review past decisions to determine precedence in the law, they have to remember that some of those decisions and some of the laws they were written about were written to preserve the prevalent historiography. Some could say that judges that who ignore that historiography and make decision based on the current circumstances involved in the case, are legislating from the bench, especially if their decision differs greatly from or alters the historiography. Judge Sotomayor, with her comments concerning race, is seen as exactly the kind of Supreme Court Judge that would rule in this way. It is said that racist societies create a historiography that support or reinforce racial superiority. In America, we are creating a historiography that excuses our 234+ years of slavery and discrimination. Our legal system is not immune to the creation of this historiography. As judges review past decisions to determine precedence in the law, they have to remember that some of those decisions and some of the laws they were written about were written to preserve the prevalent historiography. Some could say that judges that who ignore that historiography and make decision based on the current circumstances involved in the case, are legislating from the bench, especially if their decision differs greatly from or alters the historiography. Judge Sotomayor, with her comments concerning race, is seen as exactly the kind of Supreme Court Judge that would rule in this way.

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]]> By: No1KState http://www.racismreview.com/blog/2009/06/18/sotomayor-and-race-in-america/comment-page-1/#comment-7973 No1KState Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:58:47 +0000 http://www.racismreview.com/blog/?p=2530#comment-7973 My only point of contention concerns the notion of separate and equal. Considering the fact that even in schools that are demographically integrated, students of color still receive an unequal quality of education combined with a tangible sense of race animousity and condemnation. For me, it's never been the "separate" part that was concerning; it's the unequal part. I say make sure all students receive the same high quality of education and well, as radical as this may be, I'm fine with "separation." At least in schools led by black adults, black children did receive affirmation that weakened some of the destructive power of racism in their communities. Don't get me wrong, segregation remains a blight. But even in the reality of things, it's never been separation that was the problem as much as it has been the inequality. And I think even white liberals tend to substitute one for the other as the integration and togetherness ensures equality. It doesn't. ~ That said, this was a great, great read!! I'm tempted to print it out for myself and just might. It was awesome. ~ Though, I will again argue that seeing as how the <i>emperical</i> evidence shows that race continues to operate to the detriment of people of color, I seriously doubt the sincerity of any judge or justice who argues for "colorblind" policy. They're not trying to achieve a world free of racism. They're trying to preserve and keep this world rife with racism. My only point of contention concerns the notion of separate and equal. Considering the fact that even in schools that are demographically integrated, students of color still receive an unequal quality of education combined with a tangible sense of race animousity and condemnation. For me, it’s never been the “separate” part that was concerning; it’s the unequal part. I say make sure all students receive the same high quality of education and well, as radical as this may be, I’m fine with “separation.” At least in schools led by black adults, black children did receive affirmation that weakened some of the destructive power of racism in their communities. Don’t get me wrong, segregation remains a blight. But even in the reality of things, it’s never been separation that was the problem as much as it has been the inequality. And I think even white liberals tend to substitute one for the other as the integration and togetherness ensures equality. It doesn’t.
~
That said, this was a great, great read!! I’m tempted to print it out for myself and just might. It was awesome.
~
Though, I will again argue that seeing as how the emperical evidence shows that race continues to operate to the detriment of people of color, I seriously doubt the sincerity of any judge or justice who argues for “colorblind” policy. They’re not trying to achieve a world free of racism. They’re trying to preserve and keep this world rife with racism.

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