|
Affirmative Action on the Court |
Post Reply 
|
Page 12> |
| Author | ||
Clark Kent 
Platinum Member 
Joined: 02 July 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 8716 |
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote Reply
 Topic: Affirmative Action on the CourtPosted: 07 September 2005 at 11:16am |
|
|
I know we just had a discussion on this subject, but recent news lends itself to the issue. Hopefully we can keep this thread focused, instead of having it become a general AA discussion...? In any event, there are nine Supreme Court justices. Currently, two slots are open, and Roberts has been nominated for one of those. The question: Should race/gender be a consideration for nominations for those slots? Laura Bush went public after O'Connor retired with a hope that GW would pick a woman. After Rehnquist's death, people of both parties have suggested that a woman would be a good idea. So - this is a very specific issue. There is no issue of "opportunity". All of the potential nominees are already very successful. If they were disadvantaged in the past, they are not disadvantaged anymore. But - is there a benefit to have a "diverse" Court? Is there a benefit to justice, or to the country, or otherwise, to have a court with men and women, with people of different ethnicities? Or is that just irrelevant? Does it matter if the court is all white men?
|
||
 |
||
|
ShortyBP
Moderator Group 
A G F Y Joined: 10 June 2002 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 5034 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 September 2005 at 11:29am |
|
|
It doesn't matter, no. They're job is to interpret the Constitution, and gender, race, etc have no bearing on that.
However, at the same time, in the matter of public perception, it is almost necessary to have a minority fill a seat, otherwise the Gubmint leaves itself open to accusations of racism/sexism/etc. Sad that it comes down to that, but it does. So, as far as I am concerned... no, it shouldn't matter what race/gender a person is in regards to filling the seat, so long as whomever is nominated is qualified. But in reality, it does matter, because the public is ignorant and always looks at the race/gender lines no matter what the topic. You make it an all old-white-boy club... public screams "unfair". |
||
|
||
|
Hades
Moderator Group
Joined: 10 May 2003 Location: Virgin Islands Status: Offline Points: 13014 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 September 2005 at 12:28pm |
|
|
Yes, I definately think there is a benieft to having a diverse Supreme Court.
Infact, I wish there was some way to make it even more diverse than it is today. The more diverse the court is the more perspectives and ideas/thoughts can be brought to the table before a ruling is made. Take for instance, abortion if there was a jury of Seven men deciding the fate of millions of women and none have the perspective of a women, is that really a well informed decision? I know the court is there to interpret the laws and if they are constititional or not, but if the judges in the seats all look, think, and do alike, what is the point of having seven? I need to think about this more to state a more specific answer that relates to your question... I lost myself somewhere :S Edited by Hades |
||
|
||
|
||
|
DBibeau855
Platinum Member
IIIIIMMMMM BAAACCCKKK Joined: 26 November 2002 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 11662 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 September 2005 at 2:41pm |
|
|
It shouldnt matter weather they are black, white, purple, male, female, or transexual, their soul job is to interpret the constitution and give a ruling. Their back ground, ethnicity and sex should in no way play a part in their decision. We do not need a "diverse court" we need a court that will stay away from judicial activisim and a court that is able to do its job, nothing more, and nothing less. If that court can operate at its asigned capasity and it happens to be a diverse court, with one justice representing major financial racian and social classes, than so be it, but i believe this to be an imposiblity because of the social make-up of the United States.
Race and Gender should not matter when a candidate is chosen. The decision to add a potention justice on the court should be based on individual merit alone. |
||
|
||
|
||
|
Gatyr
Platinum Member
Strike 1 - Begging for strikes Joined: 06 July 2003 Location: Austin, Tx Status: Offline Points: 10300 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 September 2005 at 3:05pm |
|
|
Yes, diversity is needed, because otherwise Jesse Jackson will make up words to describe how racist the governemnt is.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
Bunkered
Platinum Member
What AM I smoking? Joined: 10 June 2002 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 5708 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 September 2005 at 3:06pm |
|
|
In theory, it shouldn't matter.
However, in reality it does. Different races and genders will interpret the Constitution in different ways. In my experience, women tend to be less harsh and more compassionate in most cases, and would be deemed "more liberal" by many people. I'd like to see some slightly more liberal people on the court, so I wouldn't have a problem with a woman or a race other than Caucasian. However, in the end it's not our choice, and we will probably be stuck with another conservative white male. |
||
|
||
|
||
|
Cedric
Platinum Member
Unit Joined: 24 November 2004 Status: Offline Points: 4240 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 September 2005 at 3:26pm |
|
|
All in favor of an African American lesbian who just happens to be muslim?
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
Predatorr
Platinum Member
Strike 1 - Rules 1 and 2 Joined: 28 January 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3795 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 September 2005 at 3:30pm |
|
|
I dont think a diverse court would really have any advantages / disadvantages. But i do think it would be good to have an opinion from a woman or minority. But i dont really pay attention to them so its not really my say that matters and i could care less. But it might end up an old white man club because of course as kanye so boldy put it, "Bush doesnt care about black people". Cedric- I Edited by Predatorr |
||
|
||
|
Clark Kent
Platinum Member
Joined: 02 July 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 8716 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 September 2005 at 3:36pm |
|
|
I am not available this term. |
||
|
||
|
Cedric
Platinum Member
Unit Joined: 24 November 2004 Status: Offline Points: 4240 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 September 2005 at 3:37pm |
|
:( There goes that idea. |
||
|
|
||
|
||
|
Clark Kent
Platinum Member
Joined: 02 July 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 8716 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 September 2005 at 3:38pm |
|
|
Nice of you to think of me, though. :) And your sig is still strangely exciting. |
||
|
||
|
agentwhale007.
Member 
Strike 2 - Flaming 9/12 Joined: 13 December 2003 Status: Offline Points: 1178 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 September 2005 at 3:39pm |
|
|
I think the real political question to be asked here is... If they get BET, home comes we dont get WET? |
||
|
Hey, nice marmot!  |
||
|
||
|
Cedric
Platinum Member
Unit Joined: 24 November 2004 Status: Offline Points: 4240 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 September 2005 at 3:39pm |
|
|
It's very fun to watch when the forums are slow.
|
||
|
|
||
|
||
|
Clark Kent
Platinum Member
Joined: 02 July 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 8716 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 September 2005 at 3:51pm |
|
|
It occurs to me that there are two or three issues at hand. First, perspective - as Hades suggests, it might be considered valuable to have people with different backgrounds on the court. Even though their job is essentially colorblind, the personal views, beliefs, and experiences of Justices do come into play (although not always in the way we think). Presumably, it would be "better" to have a Court with a diversity of views and experiences, make sure that all issues got the full 360 treatment. But - who is to say that a random black/female justice would automatically provide a different perspective than a random white/male justice? Is Clarence Thomas that different from Antonin Scalia? Is Ruth Bader Ginsburg that different from John Paul Stevens? And to the extent that Ginsburg is different from Thomas, how much of that difference is due to race or gender? Ugh. Will finish rest of rambling thought after a bathroom break. |
||
|
||
|
Homer J
Member
Strike 2 for drug related images Joined: 22 March 2003 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 4673 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 September 2005 at 4:30pm |
|
There is, it's called CMT, duh. |
||
|
||
|
A-5 08
Gold Member 
The mob rules!!! Get the pitchforks!!! Joined: 18 October 2004 Location: Chad Status: Offline Points: 2134 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 September 2005 at 4:38pm |
|
|
Honestly the perspective of an african american female versus a white male could be different and may not be different. It all depends on their backround, no one is really random.
I suppose they could have quite similar opinions and equally very oposite opinions. Though doesn't this come down to deep rooted societal ideas? A black women must think differently froma white male, because of the color of their skin and their gender. Now there are deffinate differences in gender and how that plays a role in your personal opinions. Though, ideally, race shouldn't be a factor, but it is. |
||
|
||
|
Jim Paint
Platinum Member
Dukes of Hazzard is SOOO Last Year Joined: 16 December 2002 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 5554 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 September 2005 at 5:00pm |
|
There is a WET. It's porn. |
||
saepe fidelis |
||
|
||
|
Frank Zappa
Member
Joined: 01 September 2005 Status: Offline Points: 218 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 September 2005 at 5:01pm |
|
|
Do we need Affirmative Action in major league sports? Because really, I don't want my white kid growing up thinking that he's white, so he can't play sports. Edited by Frank Zappa |
||
|
||
|
Clark Kent
Platinum Member
Joined: 02 July 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 8716 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 September 2005 at 5:06pm |
|
|
Second point - perception. As pointed out, it might simply "look bad" if our court were all white/male. Should we care whether it looks bad? I certainly don't particularly care whether anybody is offended - I don't see a need to be PC about this. But - perceptions are reality. If having an all white/male court leads to racial tensions, which leads to division of our country and overall unpleasantness, and if making sure that there were some not-white/male justices would help that situation, would not that be a small price to pay? Presumably, all nominees are fundamentally qualified - if we can choose a candidate that is as good as the other candidates, but has the additional feature of making people happy, is this not a good thing? Several "ifs" in there, but you perhaps get my point. |
||
|
||
|
Fat Stalin
Member
Strike 1 Derogatory Sexual Slur 9/22 Joined: 23 June 2005 Location: Russian Federation Status: Offline Points: 969 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 07 September 2005 at 5:08pm |
|
Oh that made me giggle.  |
||
|
||
|
||
|
Post Reply
|
Page 12> |
Tweet
|
| Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |
Topic Options
Cedric wrote: