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: The Buck Stops Here

Sotomayor

By Stuart Buck, Esq.

For all the talk about Sotomayor's "wise Latina" speech, Heather Mac Donald raises a point that few have mentioned: the speech is very poorly written. Back in 2005, I agreed with the concern that Harriet Miers' writing was simply inept, and Sotomayor's writing isn't that great either. To be sure, she's replacing someone who tended to annoy other Justices with all of his excess verbiage, so perhaps it's a wash in that regard. What about the "wise Latina" line, though? Here's the full paragraph: Whether born from experience or inherent physiological or cultural differences, a possibility I abhor less or discount less than my colleague Judge Cedarbaum, our gender and national origins may and will make a difference in our judging. Justice O'Connor has often been cited as saying that a wise old man and wise old woman will reach the same conclusion in deciding cases...continue to full post

Full post as published by The Buck Stops Here on June 10, 2009 (boomark / email).