A genuine message of racial healing would also have given more credit to the real racial gains in American society over the last 40 years. - Editorial Board, 3/18/08
As in millionaire Tiger Woods hoping that Augusta would allow women members, or something?
Item: Judge Leslie Southwick, nomination put forward by the everything-ok-in-America Administration, who are no doubt emboldened by the philosophy of the WSJ.
Senator Kennedy, speaking on just how much Conservatism is helping race-relations, right now, today:
At his hearing, he was asked numerous times whether he now regrets joining the majority in the case. He refused to say the decision was a mistake. He told me, “don’t change horses in mid-stream,” and added, “I think the opinion is carefully written, and it’s written to give deference to the agency . . . .” Frankly, I was astonished at that answer. It seems that even now, he doesn’t understand how serious the slur ["nigger"] is.
...
The Fifth Circuit has the largest minority population of all the federal circuits. It hears a large number of cases on civil rights and has had a historic role in enforcing those rights. It was acclaimed for its courage in protecting the civil rights of African-Americans at a time when many state and local governments were hostile to their rights or unwilling to enforce them. Even after Congress enacted historic laws such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, many states and localities in the South resisted the enforcement of these measures. Fifth Circuit judges like Elbert Tuttle, Frank Johnson, and John Minor Wisdom helped to fulfill the promise of equality contained in these important laws. We have an obligation to ensure that nominees to this Court today will uphold that proud tradition.
Judge Southwick does not meet that standard.
...
The Fifth Circuit has the largest minority population of all the federal circuits. It hears a large number of cases on civil rights and has had a historic role in enforcing those rights. It was acclaimed for its courage in protecting the civil rights of African-Americans at a time when many state and local governments were hostile to their rights or unwilling to enforce them. Even after Congress enacted historic laws such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, many states and localities in the South resisted the enforcement of these measures. Fifth Circuit judges like Elbert Tuttle, Frank Johnson, and John Minor Wisdom helped to fulfill the promise of equality contained in these important laws. We have an obligation to ensure that nominees to this Court today will uphold that proud tradition.
Judge Southwick does not meet that standard.
Blech.
It's time to turn the page, especially on small government conservatism, even for a just a while.
