Posted by Editor in 
By Teresa Puente –
On this last day of questioning, Sotomayor answered a question from newly minted Sen. Al Franken, a Democrat from Minnesota. He asked her why she wanted this job.
Sotomayor recalled a conversation she had with her mother when she had the opportunity to become a district court judge.
Her mother asked if she would make more money.
No. Sotomayor explained she would actually take a pay cut.
Her mother asked if she was going to be able to travel more.
No. Sotomayor explained to her mother, “I’m going to live in a court house.”
And her mother asked if she was going to get to know more people in this job.
No. Sotomayor told her mother, “I can’t become friends with them.”
Then her mother asked her daughter, “Why do you want this job?”
Omar Lopez, her stepfather, told her mother in Spanish,”You know your daughter and her stuff with public service.”
Sotomayor went on to explain her love of the law. “I can’t think of any greater service I can give to the country than being permitted to be a justice of the Supreme Court,” she said.
Sotomayor also said Thursday she would be a justice for all people.
“My life, what I have accomplished, does serve as an inspiration for others,” she said. “It’s an awesome sense of responsibility. It’s one of the reasons that I do so many activities with members of the community, not just Latinos, but all groups.”
How can one not be moved by the intelligence, sincerity and integrity of this woman?
The Republicans tried to take her down with her comments about a “wise Latina woman” but they failed. She has admitted those were not the best choice of words but they do not make her a racist or disqualify her from this nomination.
Republican leaders have indicated they won’t filibuster and the Democrats have enough votes even without Republican support. But I predict that a handful of Republicans will vote to confirm her to the Supreme Court.
It’s been sweet to watch her mother, Celina, sit behind her and offer her support to her daughter as she has done her entire life.
I can only imagine how she’s wanted to speak up in defense of her hija.
She should be proud that soon her daughter will become the first Latina to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Sotomayor is a wise Latina judge who will serve the entire nation.
Associated Press writer Jesse Washington interviewed me and several other prominent Latinas from author Julia Alvarez to Rossana Rosado, publisher and CEO of the Spanish-language newspaper El Diario La Prensa in New York.
Here is link to that story on what wise Latinas have to say about Sotomayor.
