Weighing In On Taking One for the Team
No matter what side of the political spectrum you’re on, I don’t see how the treatment of Judge Sonia Sotomayor can’t bug you, at least a little. Here is a woman who has spent 17 years on the bench – many more than any of the current Supreme Court justices – and yet she is being treated like some rank novice, questioned about why some lawyers who faced her have complained about her tough questioning and calling it a “lack of judicial temperament.”
Does anyone else see some barely veiled misogyny here?
Can you imagine any of these guys voting against a judge’s nomination because they said
“[…]when a case comes before me involving, let’s say, someone who is an immigrant […] I can’t help but think of my own ancestors, because it wasn’t that long ago when they were in that position. […].
When I get a case about discrimination, I have to think about people in my own family who suffered discrimination because of their ethnic background or because of religion or because of gender And I do take that into account.”
Who said that? Why, it was Judge Samuel Alito!
What??? He takes his background into account? Did all these blowhards vote against him? Not really.
How about when George Bush said that Clarence Thomas’ empathy was one of the things that made him such a great judge? And I always thought it was his love of porn.
Can you imagine these guys telling Miquel Estrada that he “has some ‘esplainin’ to do” like Tom Coburn told Judge Sotomayor? No; not even one “Babaloo” from the bunch.
Think about your own experience. We’ve all had bosses who give us a hard time. How many of those female bosses were called “strident” or “bitche” and how many of the men were called “tough task masters”? Let me guess.
At one of my earlier jobs (which was, by most measures, a great place to work), men who couldn’t get along with their superiors were offered other – sometimes better – positions while women in the same situation were let go. We affectionately called it the Penis Club. For some reason, I was never invited to join, though I’ve been described as having balls of steel.
So, what about women who have to leave early to take care of a sick child or attend a parent-teacher conference? Obviously, they’re a liability; can’t have your workers taking personal time. Unless of course, Johnny wants to attend his kid’s first grade play. What a great Dad!
Ask too many tough questions at work and you’re a pain in the neck; but his questions show he’s inquisitive and on the mangement track. Take time to get your nails done? Bad! Go get your shoes shined? Good! Read the paper at your desk? He’s looking for leads; she’s planning a shopping trip. Talk with your co-workers about your favorite show; you’re wasting company time. Yak it up with the boss about last night’s game? Well, you’re a team player!
Team player. Go for the gold. Creating a game plan. Big hitter. Make a pitch. Under par. Slam dunk. Out in left field.
I’m sick of sports analogies!
I think we should all start using expressions like “his roots are showing” for someone who isn’t prepared. Or, better yet, let’s simply start judging men by their looks.
Because we all know that women are still judged in the workplace by their looks. How many fat women do you see in the board room? Okay, unfair. There aren’t that many women in the board room to use that example. But, how many fat women with bad hair do you see in management? Do you think a woman with a comb-over could get a job in your company?
I’m tired of hearing white guys complain about how unfair affirmative action is because now women and minorities are reaping all these rewards as a result. They’re just used to getting so many unfair advantages that when the playing field is leveled even a teeny tiny bit, they see it as “discrimination.”
Boo hoo. Take a look around and tell me if women and Blacks have taken over. . . .anything. The board room? The management ranks? Wall St.? Where do we have the advantage? Teaching, HR, nursing, child care.
All the jobs that aren’t paid enough. Or maybe we’re just imagining it.
Tags: bias, Equal pay, justice, supreme court
