A Missouri African-American Says Conservative Blacks Are Skeptical About Sonia

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06/16/09 - An LA Reader Says Diversity Is Strength—And Also Differing Victory Celebrations

From: Harry Simpson (e-mail him)

Re: Today's Letter: A Vermont Democrat Predicts Her Party's Moderates May Block Sonia Sotomayor's Supreme Court Nomination

Some leaders among the conservative African-American community might join moderate Democrat Elizabeth Harris, writer of the above letter, in her opposition to Sotomayor.

For example Mychal Massie, chairman of the Project 21 black leadership network, urges senators to take a close look at Sotomayor's record before commenting on her fitness for the job.

In a press release, Massie said:

"Of all the possible nominees suggested over the past few weeks, it appears Obama selected the most radical one. The U.S. Senate has a duty to scrutinize Judge Sotomayor's record to ensure she has the demeanor and aptitude to be elevated to such a solemn post."

Massie continued that by selecting Sotomayor, an avowed liberal, the Senate is not following the traditional pattern of choosing a consensus nominee for the Supreme Court and that, thus, her candidacy must scrutinized fully and not rubber stamped.

Concluded Massie:

"Considering Justice Souter's record, Sotomayor will not change the balance of the Supreme Court.  But she will likely dramatically alter the temperament of the Court and the way in which it operates. 

"Senators must keep this in mind as they take on the very solemn process of vetting her fitness."

We certainly agree with Harris that the Sotomayor nomination and her conflicting messages are troubling. 

Indeed if we should be so lucky as to get a complete Senate vetting, Sotomayor could well be doomed.

Simpson's previous letter about the importance of immigration to blacks is here.