# YAY! The Republicans are standing up for the little guy. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 1, 2009, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309 "2009-06-01T02:01:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2009, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309/41 "2009-06-01T22:37:25Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > White fear is not about wanting people to be treated in an egalitarian manner. White fear is about protecting white empowerment. Exactly. No white male is ever treated unfairly, and every minority is fair-minded. To think otherwise, or worse yet claim a slight by an Under-Represented Minority, is pure racism and crimethink. Other races Want to be Treated in an Egalitarian Manner, but whites Protect White Empowerment™. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2009, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309/42 "2009-06-01T23:12:26Z")
What kind of crappy society do we live in where someone is bashed upside the head for something they carelessly said a long time ago, while their judicial record,resume, credentials, and yes _background_ are ignored? Poor people and minority groups are disproportionately represented in the court system. How anyone can just shrug their shoulders and think “No big deal” when almost all of our Supreme Court justices are privledged white men is completely beyond me. The same people who are calling this woman racist for ONE comment are the exact same ones who jump to the defense of Rush Limbaugh whenever he spews racial shit ALL THE DAMN TIME. I’m sick of conservatives, their hypocrisy, and the faux outrage that functions as political discourse nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309/43 "2009-06-02T00:02:18Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > The same people who are calling this woman racist for ONE comment are the exact same ones who jump to the defense of Rush Limbaugh whenever he spews racial shit ALL THE DAMN TIME. I’m sick of conservatives, their hypocrisy, and the faux outrage that functions as political discourse nowadays. This really rings true to me, as well. I think they have simply gone mad with their lack of power. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309/44 "2009-06-02T03:44:55Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > This really rings true to me, as well. I think they have simply gone mad with their lack of power. To be fair (and balanced), they’ve been travelling down that road for a long time; their mashing the gas pedal to the floorboards now, it seems to me, is merely an inevitable eruption of frustration as they discover that their road map has led them into a ditch running into a ravine. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309/45 "2009-06-02T14:26:27Z")
Power corrupts, absent power corrupts _in absentia_. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Joe_Meager)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309/46 "2009-06-02T18:16:37Z")
[QUOTE=Sonia Sotomayor] I would hope that a wise Latino woman, with the richness of her experiences would, more often than not, reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life. [/QUOTE] "I would hope that a wise \ \, with the richness of \ experiences would, more often than not, reach a better conclusion than a \ \ who hasn’t lived that life. That’s a very troubling statement from a judge, regardless of which gender or ethnic heritage they are. Its not as if one particular gender or ethnic heritage combination renders that statement palatable, while other combinations make it offensive. It’s racist and sexist no matter what. **Knorf**? **Miller**? Were you able to understand it that time? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309/47 "2009-06-02T18:21:07Z")
And once again, you completely omitted the context. Good job. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Joe_Meager)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309/48 "2009-06-02T18:36:20Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > And once again, you completely omitted the context. Good job. I’ve read the speech. Nothing in it, in my opinion, renders her quote non-sexist and non-racist. Inclusion of the entire text of the speech wouldn’t have made a difference. Now if you would, please, present the context which you believe renders the quote non-sexist and non-racist. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309/49 "2009-06-02T18:54:22Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](#): > > I’ve read the speech. Nothing in it, in my opinion, renders her quote non-sexist and non-racist. Inclusion of the entire text of the speech wouldn’t have made a difference. > > Now if you would, please, present the context which you believe renders the quote non-sexist and non-racist. Yes, the suggestion that offering a differing perspective, a different experience, more diversity, might bring a better conclusion, HOW DARE SHE!!! ---
**Author:** ![mazinger\_z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@mazinger\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mazinger_z)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309/50 "2009-06-02T19:05:05Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > And once again, you completely omitted the context. Good job. I’m only mildly interested in the outcome of the proceedings and I see nothing wrong with Sotomayor other than she looks funny (but I think that of many a judge at any level). Rather than quote many people, I’ll just throw this out there: exactly what context was the purported quote made? And, how accurate is the quote? Neither link shows the quote or its context. So far, I fail to see (only because I’m not thinking too deeply about it) how **Jimmy Joe Meager’s** objective rendering (assuming if true) is appropriate in any context. Please enlighten. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Joe_Meager)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309/51 "2009-06-02T19:06:31Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Yes, the suggestion that offering a differing perspective, a different experience, more diversity, might bring a better conclusion, HOW DARE SHE!!! Now \*that’s \*a strawman! ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309/52 "2009-06-02T19:16:27Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](#): > > Now \*that’s \*a strawman! SEXISM! The preferred term is “strawperson”. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Joe_Meager)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309/53 "2009-06-02T19:20:41Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > SEXISM! The preferred term is “strawperson”. I stand humbly corrected. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309/54 "2009-06-02T19:48:52Z")
> [@mazinger\_z](#): > > Rather than quote many people, I’ll just throw this out there: exactly what context was the purported quote made? And, how accurate is the quote? Neither link shows the quote or its context. > > So far, I fail to see (only because I’m not thinking too deeply about it) how **Jimmy Joe Meager’s** objective rendering (assuming if true) is appropriate in any context. Please enlighten. [Here is a discussion of the actual speech](http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/may/27/judicial-confirmation-network/Sotomayor-comment-Latina-women-versus-white-men/) and [here is the actual speech](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/15/us/politics/15judge.text.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all). [and here are Alioto and Scalia making the same basic claims, but oriented toward the white boys](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/28/antonin-scalia-judges-mak_n_208531.html) (or old white men). ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Joe_Meager)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309/55 "2009-06-02T20:23:35Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > and here are Alioto and Scalia making the same basic claims, but oriented toward the white boys(or old white men). No, they don’t. **tomndebb** , in the links you provided Scalia doesn’t address the issue at hand at all (that a specific gender/ethnicity combination might result in reaching a “better” decision than another specific gender/ethnicity combination), and Alito simply says that his background (in which I will include his gender and ethnicity) influences him. Specifically “…how my background and my experiences have shaped me and brought me to this point.” and “I have to think about people in my own family who suffered discrimination because of their ethnic background or because of religion or because of gender. And I do take that into account.” He does not, as Sotomayor specifically does, claim that his gender and ethnicity might allow for him to make a “better” decision than someone of a different gender and ethinicity. If he does and I missed it, can you please point it out? So no… Alito and Scalia are not “making the same basic claims”. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309/56 "2009-06-02T20:33:03Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](#): > > So no… Alito and Scalia are not “making the same basic claims”. All things being equal, does taking more of the externalities of a possible ruling into account have a better, worse, or purely neutral effect on the judgment itself? ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309/57 "2009-06-03T17:22:24Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](#): > > **Knorf**? **Miller**? Were you able to understand it that time? The problem is not lack of understanding. The problem is that you’re wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309/58 "2009-06-03T17:29:05Z")
> [@Jimmy Joe Meager](#): > > Now if you would, please, present the context which you believe renders the quote non-sexist and non-racist. Too bad you have reading comprehension problems. You also clearly don’t understand what racism is. Her statement, even out of context, is _not racist_ for any non-useless definition of racism. But here’s a further comment from Ms. Sotomayor for the reading comprehension-challenged: > [@Judge Sotomayor](#): > > I … believe that we should not be so myopic as to believe that others of different experiences or backgrounds are incapable of understanding the values and needs of people from a different group. Sorry missed the edit window for the previous post. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309/59 "2009-06-03T18:15:43Z")
So let me get this straight, Sotomatyor has the audacity to calim that she mioght have a better perspective and come to amore infomred opinion because in some cases she might have a better understanding of it thatn say a white priviledged male?? The empathy you say!!! You know what, there are also cses where a white maole could come upon a more infromed, hence better conclusion. Do people honeslty think that judges are som sort of judement rendering robots?? Her case history belies any attempt to paint her as some sort of racist. Look at the case histroy, please, and find me the evidence. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yay-the-republicans-are-standing-up-for-the-little-guy/498309.md?page=2)