Dear Senator Graham…

I sent the following to Senator Bob Graham today, through his web site.

Dear Senator Graham:

Although I grew up in south Alabama, my mother was born in Pensacola, I still have many relatives in Florida (one of whom you appointed to an important position but I’m leaving that name out), and I’ve followed your career, and especially your recent announcement of interest in running for the presidency, with interest. I am the sort of disaffected former Democrat whom I hope you will be interested in attracting. As such, let me say that I will be watching your vote on the nomination of Miguel Estrada to the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit with a great deal of interest.

What has primarily disaffected me from the Democrats is their disavowal of their long committment to colorblind racial equality. I grew up with, and to a certain degree in, the civil rights movement, but I have not been able to accept its rejection of racial equality in favor of racial preferences. And I must say that I find the response of Senate Democrats to Estrada bordering on reprehensible. The demand for “more information” is patently transparent — his nomination has been hanging nearly two years, and most of those who claim to be in the dark about his views have not asked any questions when they could. The position of the anti-Estrada interest groups — that he is not Hispanic enough for them — is insulting and offensive, although it does serve the useful function of undermining their usual mantra that race and ethnicity are reliable proxies for “diversity.” If you want the support of those people, you don’t want mine.

President Clinton missed an opportunity of historic proportions to lance the boil of our festering racial conflicts. As a Southerner committed to civil rights, he could have announced a new approach of zero tolerance for any form of racial discrimination, increased the budget of the EEOC and the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Dept., perhaps given the EEOC cease and desist powers like the NLRB, made some forms of discrimination (requiring proven intent) criminal offenses, but at the same time put an immediate end to all forms of racial favoritism, including racial preferences, by the federal government. That was the spirit of Brown v. Board and the clear intent of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

If these measures interest you, let me hear from you. If not, don’t bother.

Best wishes,

John S. Rosenberg

Say What? (1)

  1. Andrew Lazarus March 2, 2003 at 3:46 pm | | Reply

    I don’t think Estrada’s ethnicity or even his stand on civil rights, singly, has much to do with his confirmation struggle.

    See, for example, here.

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