Posted on 05/30/2009 7:03:58 AM PDT by kellynla
Washington » For the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, the May 26 announcement of the first Latina nominee to the nation's highest court was cause for equal parts celebration and caution.
"I'm caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place," said Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.
"As a Puerto Rican American, as a Latino, I do commend President Obama for making a very practical strategic, political nomination. ... As a Christian leader, which I am first and foremost, I have concerns."
With President Barack Obama's nomination of Sonia Sotomayor, a judge in the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, conservatives and liberals are lining up on their predictable sides of either criticism or support. But for Latino Christians, especially some evangelicals, the choice may be a mixed blessing.
While liberals are hopeful that Sotomayor would support their positions on matters such as gay marriage, conservatives worry that she may reflect "judicial activism" and the creation of policy, rather than interpretation of laws, from the high court.
As leading conservative Christian groups label Sotomayor a liberal, Rodriguez said he has to research her history before his group can make its own verdict about her.
"What does that mean for religious liberty?" he wonders. "What does that mean for the child in the womb? What does that mean for traditional marriage? What does that mean for limited government?"
The Rev. Daniel Delgado, pastor of Third Day Missions Church on Staten Island, N.Y., shares Rodriguez's concerns.
"I know Latinos are very excited," said Delgado, the New York/New Jersey director of Rodriguez's organization. "But I'd just like to hear some more about her and her positions."
While some Hispanic clergy are sitting on the fence for now about Obama's pick, others are forging ahead with support.
"I am very hopeful that some of the issues that affect the Hispanic community directly or indirectly can be addressed a lot more than in the present," said the Rev. Jesse Miranda, who runs a leadership institute at Vanguard University, an evangelical school in Southern California.
While he is aware of the conflicts felt by leaders such as Rodriguez, Miranda said "nothing is perfect" and he expects Hispanic Christians will support a judicial nominee who reflects their ethnic and cultural heritage.
In her brief remarks after Obama announced her nomination, Sotomayor described her modest upbringing in a public housing project in the Bronx, her studies at Princeton and Yale, and work in private and public legal sectors.
"I hope that as the Senate and the American people learn more about me they will see that I am an ordinary person who has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences," said Sotomayor.
The White House said Sotomayor was raised Catholic and continues to attend Catholic churches for important events, including family celebrations. If confirmed, she would be the sixth Catholic on the nine-member court.
The Rev. Miguel Rivera, chairman of the National Coalition of Latino Clergy & Christian Leaders, said his organization has sent a letter asking Republicans involved in the confirmation process to strenuously question her positions.
"We support strong, conservative, non-activist judges for the Supreme Court," he said of his conservative evangelical group. "We're commending the choice, but we're not totally behind her until we evaluate her experience."
Some evangelicals, meanwhile, are expressing no reservations at all.
"It's totally amazing," said the Rev. Marcos Miranda, pastor of Action in Christ International Church in Brooklyn, N.Y. "I think it's great. I think she's brilliant."
Marcos Miranda, who said he is unusual as an evangelical who supports abortion rights, said he doesn't consider Sotomayor to be an extreme choice.
"I think that her being where she's at, where she's not far left but she's also not far right, is exactly where this country needs to go," he said.
Some conservative organizations, while generally criticizing the choice of Sotomayor, noted that she wrote an opinion that upheld a ban that prohibited federal funding of overseas abortion, a policy that Obama has since overturned.
The Rev. Daniel de Leon, pastor of Templo Calvario, a megachurch in Santa Ana, Calif., said he would welcome Sotomayor as the first Hispanic on the bench.
"I think it's long overdue," he said. "We're the largest minority in this country and I think we have a lot to contribute. I hope and pray that she will not only be nominated but accepted and passed."
But de Leon, who noted that Hispanics -- both Catholic and Protestant -- tend to be conservative, expressed concern about how much her choice may reflect future nominees to the court.
"If this is an indicator of what Obama is going to be doing," he said, "it's going to take off to a real liberal left."
ping
Is there a Mr. Judge? I hear she travels with her mother but have not heard, is she married?
Is she the first Latina and first gay supreme court judge?
...It’s not “Rasism”, it’s “Racial”...
Some people just don't get it. As if O would have nominated anyone who was for those issues.
What? You mean Hispanics are individuals and don’t all think alike? Liberals must be so disappointed.
Geeeeeee. Ya mean all Hispanics are not left-wingers?
I’m shocked. /sarc
All joking aside, what the GOP fails to realize is that those Latinos that would take offense at a vigorous vetting of Sotomayor would never consider voting for Republicans in the first place.
Their fecklessness and failure to live up to their professed principles is what is killing the party. The answer is not to emulate the Liberals by trying to be all things to all people.
Don’t tell the Republicans. They might discover that members of ethnic groups have conflicting views.
“Is there a Mr. Judge? I hear she travels with her mother but have not heard, is she married?”
I understand she is divorced & no children.
“Liberals must be so disappointed.”
“Liberals” are not liberal at all, and will probably start lecturing latinos on why they must support Sotomayor.
Ethnic groups are only allowed one point of view. Look at what’s happened in the African-American community. If you don’t share our views, you ain’t black.
Perhaps this guy will learn that he shouldn't think of himself primarily as a Latino, he is an Christian and an American. Ethnicity should be farther down the list when making adult decisions.
Another perplexing question about Hispanics from Mexico is the language they speak. Their true language is long dead, replaced by the language of conquerors long since ousted - yet they retain the language....odd...... curious and curiouser......
first gay supreme court judge?
Not to be mean, but I think we already had our first gay justice...Souter. The good news about him is that he did not even say a word about it.
bttt
Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, does not know Yah'shua;shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
he is totally lost in the world and the world's god.
Very correct. Living in Florida, I've learned there are many different "Latino" groups.
Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican Republic, etc, etc.
For the most part they all dislike each other to a certain degree, especially Mexican, Cuban and Puerto Ricans. Each think their culture is superior to one anothers
Also the term "Latino" is not germane as in Mexico you have Mexicans that are decedent of "Indian" and "Hispanic" peoples, Cubans that are decedent of "Hispanic" and "Caribbean" peoples and so forth.
The southern hemisphere you have three different groups descendant: Hispanics from Spain, Native Indian and Caribbean blacks from Africa and all the mix and matches you can think of and our lazy dumbed down media groups them all under "Latino" a single voting bloc
Sotomayor made a racist statement, produced a racist judicial ruling and belongs to a racist organization.
MSM/Obama: "Nothing to see here, move along. Move along or else!"
“Geeeeeee. Ya mean all Hispanics are not left-wingers?”
No, they certaily aren’t. However, the ones with any power and influence, like LaRAZA, Maldef, Lulac, the hispanic caucus are ALL left wingers as are most of their candidates. The conservative hispanics, like the rest of us, have no representation.
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