So Justice Scalia died. One of his last big decisions from the Supreme Court bench opined that black students should go to less competitive colleges because they just aren't equipped to handle the competitive ones. My daughter is set to graduate from her Ivy League college in May. This should give you some idea about how I felt about Scalia's tenure on the bench. I am glad I will not have to endure any more of his opinions, though of course, I understand that his family is grieving. Oddly, one of the most liberal justices on the bench, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, was best friends with Scalia. She wrote the most beautiful tribute to him, just gorgeously expressed, which I took to be more a reflection of her excellence than his. But it humanized him somewhat that this woman I do admire, was so close to Scalia. It helped me keep the uncharitable thoughts to a minimum. As my mother used to say, don't speak ill of the dead.
Which doesn't mean we can't speak the truth about the fact that a lot of Scalia's decisions were devastating for people's basic human rights. And now the Republicans are vowing to filibuster any nominee Obama sends to Congress for confirmation. Of course they are. Lots of memes popping up online about that, but my favorite one might be this:
He'd make a fine Supreme Court justice, the very best.
It's snowing again outside. The street lamps just coming on are making serene pools of the light on the untouched snow. My husband, my son and his girlfriend are all ensconced in this cozy apartment on President's day. I feel restless and peaceful. Both.
We're going to watch the movie
Bridge of Spies.
That's my favorite meme of the moment too! Of course.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you said here and I hope that you and your sweet family have a nice, cozy evening and that the restlessness doesn't propel you any farther than you want to go.
I keep thinking this is a non-issue. "Y'all wanna block the President's nomination for SCOTUS? Oh, y'all. Maybe back six years ago, that would have meant something? But now, this is a chief warrior with no fucks left to give. President Obama will be appointing whomever the fuck he wants, and he will prevail, and y'all will look stupid. That's the state of the union here, yo."
ReplyDeleteAnd at the same time that they're wasting all their energy on this foolishness, he'll be masterfully managing some other big items.
Legacy. Sealed.
So proud he is my president, so happy to have voted for him. I'd do it again in a minute. Not to say I always agree with him, but I don't have to.
RBG is not without her own flaws, including the belief that there is no such thing as a "disability community," among other things...Everyone has their prejudices and when they are in positions of power, someone or some group or groups who are not always suffer. That doesn't end with democrats, unfortunately. Enjoy the movie.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I just saw Bridge of Spies and it was excellent.
ReplyDeleteThat is a marvellous picture and meme. It's fun to see the mischief in that man's eyes :)
ReplyDeleteYes! To everything you wrote here.
ReplyDeleteWe literally just shut off the TV from watching "Bridge of Spies". An excellent movie. I hope the real James Donovan was as good a man as he was played by Tom Hanks.
ReplyDeleteI really like everything you wrote and wish that I'd had it in my mind when my own mother claimed that Scalia was a "a great man." This time of year brings me down so much as I have to literally avoid ALL conversation about politics with my parents and particularly my mother. I am trying to write some kind of post about it, but it's hard going. Perhaps I can take a bit of Scalia and Ginsberg's friendship as inspiration.
ReplyDeleteBeing up here in Canada I don't really understand what this all means and what is going on. All I understand is that this Scalia thinks that your children need to be segregated from my children. This gives me a stomach ache and makes me heart race. It makes me embarrassed to have a different skin pigment that you do.
ReplyDeleteCould an ex-president do that? He would be great. Obviously. I bet there are millions of people wishing he could just be reelected again. Taking in your previous post as well, I do wish it will be Clinton as it would be good for the whole world to have a woman in that job. And she is a very tough one. Shame she wouldn't do it using her own name but her husband's, but apart from that I still think it would be a powerful image for me, for my daughter, for all women. To see they can go anywhere.
ReplyDeleteLove the meme. Has any other president been nominated to the Supreme Court after his term in the White House? I'm thinking maybe...Taft? Anyway...yes, Obama would make a good justice.
ReplyDeleteDave told me that apparently Elena Kagan used to go duck hunting with Scalia! I think there's more across-the-aisle collegiality on the Supreme Court than we give them credit for.
I love that meme too. I'm so tired of the nasty politics and wish it would end, but we know it won't. The more crowded and scared our little planet gets, the worse I expect the infighting to become. It's hard not to be pessimistic.
ReplyDeleteHowever, watching Bridge of Spies is an uplifting experience. I adore Tom Hanks and my husband and I thought the movie was among the best we've seen.
Stay warm and cozy. xo
I love how you said it speaks to her excellence more than his own. I just finished reading The Silent Woman by Janet Malcolm and it touches on that a bit--that someone's recollections of the dead often say more about the writer than the subject.
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