Jul
30
A Teachable Moment?
Tags: Gates vs. Crowley, Obama, social justice
Filed Under News | By Rose Luna | Leave a Comment
The arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates by Cambridge Police Sgt. Crowley sparked a national debate on race relations when Gates accused Crowley of racism. The tension surrounding the discussion is mounting. During a routine weekly visit, my brother inquired about my thoughts on “Gates vs. Crowley.†The discussion quickly disintegrated into a shouting match reminiscent of our “Longhorns vs. Aggies†arguments during Thanksgiving. Both of us received fragments of information from news sound bites, hardly a comprehensive approach to obtaining information. My interpretation of the facts was contrary to his. All the diversity training in the world could not restrain our knee-jerk reactions. Even President Obama, most often characterized as deliberating and thoughtful, was caught in the firestorm when he uttered a statement he later acknowledged as “unfortunate†and a teachable moment.
My brother and I finally agreed to disagree, neither conceding to each other’s point of view and no closer to understanding the root of the problem. A meeting over beers is scheduled for Professor Gates, Sgt. Crowley and President Obama this week. Is alcohol diplomacy enough to quell the deep-seated emotional debate? What exactly is the teachable moment? Will the painful truths finally get addressed? Or will this teachable moment merely pass unsettled?
Jul
16
Alito Cares; Sotomayor is Racist
Tags: gender, race, social justice, Sotomayor
Filed Under News | By Rose Luna | Leave a Comment
Today is day four of Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings. Throughout the hearings, critics have continued to characterize Sotomayor’s background and personal experience as an impediment to impartial rulings.
On Monday, Dr. Tom Coburn, Senator from Oklahoma, released a statement on Sotomayor: “The American people need judges who will interpret the Constitution, not rewrite it based on ideology or personal opinion.†As you probably know, her opponents have repeatedly accused Sotomayor of racism for discussing the way identity shapes judicial decisions. Coburn’s statement stresses the importance of objectivity and fairness and demonstrate his fear that Sotomayor’s life experiences (i.e., her gender and ethnicity) will negatively affect her decisions as a Supreme Court judge.
In 2006, amid Judge Samuel Alito’s Supreme Court nomination hearings, Coburn seemed to think that Alito’s personal experience and background served to benefit the court, rather than limit his ability to serve. Take a look at the video.
An excerpt from the exchange:
COBURN: I think at times during these hearings you have been unfairly criticized or characterized as that you don’t care about the less fortunate, you don’t care about the little guy, you don’t care about the weak or the innocent. Can you comment just about Sam Alito, and what he cares about, and let us see a little bit of your heart and what’s important to you in life?
ALITO: Senator, I tried to in my opening statement, I tried to provide a little picture of who I am as a human being and how my background and my experiences have shaped me and brought me to this point… when a case comes before me involving, let’s say, someone who is an immigrant — and we get an awful lot of immigration cases and naturalization cases — I can’t help but think of my own ancestors, because it wasn’t that long ago when they were in that position. [Emphasis mine.]
I have expressed my disdain about the accusation of racism against the first Latina woman to be nominated as a Supreme Court justice previously. It is not my intention to attack Dr. Coburn, but to underscore the condescending overtones of the hearings. Dr. Coburn’s (and others’) words and sentiments speak for themselves and I believe offer confirmation that many of the attacks against Sotomayor are unfair. When Alito expressed his unique outlook due to his personal history, Coburn approved, but Sotomayor’s personal experiences are a liability. What’s the difference? What are your thoughts on the hearings? Are gender and race an issue in the way Sotomayor is being treated?
Jul
1
Sitting in the Company of Greatness
Tags: activism, feminism
Filed Under Powerful Women | By Tim Love | Leave a Comment
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to spend an evening out with a large group of primarily women. These were important women in my life, including my partner, and our main connection was the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center we either had worked at or were still working at – the center where I first became involved in this work directly. We were having a blast and unwinding, in a way that only such close friends and/or people who’ve worked so closely with violence on a consistent basis can. At one point in the night, I just sat back and looked down at either end of the table, and I was overwhelmed, inspired and humbled. I realized I was sitting in the company of greatness.
Maria Limón, TCFV prevention team member, recently reminded how easy it is for us to forget the daily acts of courage and success we are witness to – that this society we live in requires us to look for greatness elsewhere and to focus on the overwhelming nature of our struggle to end violence without seeing what amazing work we’ve already done. Sitting at that table, this idea rang as true as ever. In a sexist and violent society, I was sitting with a group of over 10 women who dedicated themselves to taking on that sexism and violence on a daily basis. There were mothers, students, directors of programs and front line staff. Each one of these women was radical, though they wouldn’t all identify as such. They resist violence against women in their work, and they also have survived and actively struggled against the sexism, violence and degradation they face in their own lives.
Active resistance against oppression is a radical act, and it is important to recognize it as such. As I sat there listening to their laughter in the face of such violence, not a dismissive laughter, but a triumphant and defiant laughter, I was reminded of how lucky I’ve been to work with such amazing women throughout my life.
Tell us about the women you work with and the women in your lives who are part of the resistance against the sexism and violence they face daily. Help us be inspired, like I was that night a few weeks ago and continue to be everyday.