Are today’s politicians truly sympathetic towards minorities? Or are minorities just a convenient means of scoring political brownie points?
The Senate yesterday confirmed Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. Even after her confirmation process, it doesn’t seem like anyone knows anything about her except that she is a Latino woman. And I suppose maybe that’s all that matters today. We look at someone’s profile and decide if it’s the “right time” for a given minority to be recognized. But isn’t racial favoritism just as wrong as discrimination?
Martin Luther King, Jr., famously said, “I have a dream that my four little children will . . . not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like anyone has paid attention to the character of Sotomayor.
But then again, what should I expect? We’re dealing with politicians here. And politicians like to score cheap political points. What could be an easier way to score these points than touting a favorite minority group?
Of course, minority groups are made of people. But it’s not really about the people any more. They’re simply a means to a political end. Minorities make for great photo shoots and posters. They’re nice decorations that create a friendly environment.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying that Sotomayor has weak credentials or isn’t a legitimate nominee. I’m saying that it feels like no one will dare to question her on substantive issues. Maybe someone did somewhere behind closed doors in the White House. But as far as the public is concerned, she’s just a female Latino. That’s all that we need to know.
When did she stop being a judge and become merely a Latino woman?
It’s condescending when we give minorities special treatment. It’s as if we’re saying that some group is too incompetent or disadvantaged to make it on their own. They require our pity. They need our charity.
Are we really so arrogant that we consider helping them an act of compassion?
If we’re living in the age of racial equality, I’m not sure that I like it. We need equality based on character, not based upon race.
Nathan Favero, an undergraduate at Texas A&M University, is a regular contributor to The D.C. Writeup.
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