Latinos Celebrate Sotomayor Confirmation

(CBS)  For Latinos watching the Sotomayor confirmation, it was a collective sense of arrival, bursting with pride at celebrations all around the country, reports CBS News correspondent Sandra Hughes.

Hispanics are more than 15 percent of the population, but they have less than four percent of the lawyers, and only three percent of the judges.

Thursday, Sonia Sotomayor took the nation's Latinos across a new threshold.

"It is entry into the most private of clubs in the country," said Antonia Hernandez, a high-profile civil rights and immigration attorney.

Hernandez is a power player herself, but when she started out, she had zero Latina role models.

"One of my first cases, when I went into court, the bailiff said, 'That way!' and then pointed to a certain part of the courtroom and that's where the interpreters sat," Hernandez said.

Judge Sotomayor's life story is so familiar to so many Latinas, they've taken her controversial comment about a "wise Latina" making better decisions than a white man and turned it into a rallying cry- complete with T-shirts available online.

A cartoon by nationally-syndicated cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz has become a hot seller in art galleries.

Usually known for biting political commentary, this time he has reacted as a dad.

"It's my daughter Paloma, who I drew as a judge playing in her bedroom," Alcaraz said. The cartoon also has her stuffed bear, Pepito, on the witness stand.

Alcaraz, whose parents were Mexican immigrants, says he knows what the Sotomayor appointment will mean for his little girl.

"We need to have our people that can show concretely, 'Yes! We can do it!'" Alcaraz said.

Alcaraz is hoping that this confirmation bodes well for Paloma's future.

"When she grows up she'll ask me, 'It was an oddity to have a Latina as a judge in the Supreme Court?'" Alcaraz said.

And he hopes he can say, "Not anymore."

[jimhenry0808]

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[zonkzilla]

Puerto Ricans and Mexicans are so different they might as well be from two planets so why are "latinos" celebrating and even waiving Mexican flags?
To compare Puerto Ricans with Mexicans would be like comparing an upper class black neighborhood in the US to a tribe in Africa.

[endurorob]

Sotomayor was nominated and confirmed based mostly on her sex and ethnicity which is a disgrace to the nation.

[simpleguy234]

The USA has always been a melting pot for all those who wished to escape the oppressive ways of foreign countries. I am proud to be a white American where we have a black president and a Latino judge on the supreme court. Prejudice has no place amongst hard working AMERICAN PEOPLE. I wish them the best of luck in such a difficult time.

P.S. Isnt it great to have a country where I can post this comment and a bunch of people will bash me, yet no one will be tried and arrested or killed for it? I LOVE THIS COUNTRY!!! And so should you, weather you agree with me or not!

[npkppprc]

You are right now tell Sotomayor about prejudice, and racism she seems to meet all the requirements, if she was put in a position because she is hispanic shame on obama and this country we live in. She makes bad unsound, and thoughtless decisions, thank God she cannot make them alone and has other judges to keep her stupid decisions at a minimum.

[pensacola8-2009]

I guess Rush Limbaugh can now clean Sotomeyers's home and cut her lawn.

[andylance1]

An overweight diabetic is the perfect role model for young, Latin American women. The incidence of type 1 diabetes in Latin America ranges from 0.4 to 8.3 cases per 100,000 children under 15 years of age, and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes ranges from 1.2% to 8%, with higher prevalence rates in urban areas. The frequency of diabetes in Latin America is expected to increase by 38% over the next 10 years, compared with an estimated 14% increase in the total population.

One of the most serious problems in Latin America and the Caribbean, both in terms of public health and economic burden, is diabetes, according to a new study by experts from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Alberto Hurtado University of Chile.

Estimates indicate that permanent disability resulting from the disease causes expenditures above $50 billion per year. Related temporary disabilities result in another $700 million in costs. The costs associated with insulin and other drugs for people with diabetes in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to data analyzed for the year 2000, totaled $4.7 billion dollars, hospitalizations totaled $1 billion, consultations $2.5 billion and care for complications another $2.4 billion.

[brooke50]

Well, that makes a clean sweep of our entire (former) Democratic System of Government.

The Executive, Legislative and Judicail all are tainted- they have loweredd their standards! - Just as schools have lowered their standards...

1) Judicial -Sotomayor, her mere statement about a Latino making better decisions than a white man - Should have been enough to disqualify her - Do you think she would have been confirmed or even selected, if her state said Latinos make better decisions than black men - The NAACP would have claimed RACISM, and would have been all over her demanding action be taken against her - but yet, because it was said about White men, that's ok, it was not RACIST!

2) Executive - Our own Sec. of Treasury and others, EVADED TAXES, but claimed to have just simply forgot, or claimed the a mistake on a tax program - Sure - I bet Al Capone thought the same thing - and he went to prison and there are plenty of Americans are fighting the IRS now and being sued for non payment of taxes. - But I guess griends of the Pres. helps a lot!

3) Legislative - Let's not even start there - I just wonder how they got in office



Schools:

1) Only have to have a D (70% -(70% Use to be failing))- below average to play extra-curricular sports (Walnut Ridge High (OH) also has a "acadamy" with a goal allow more 9th graders to make it in to 10th? Why - Were they not prepared in grades 1-8? Guess not. (whose fault - Parents, Teacher or Schools?)

2) Schools no longer stress acedemics - instead of challenging a student to achieve, they allow kids to float along, if they cause no trouble -

If you don't believe that schools have lowered their standards, then please explain why (9th and) 12th grades require each student to pass a 12 Grade Proficiency Test (but teachers have to spend 4 months trying to get students to pass practice tests before they take it)- to graduate?

Answer - Employers and Colleges have complained!

High schools have been passing students who don't have any basic education to even work or go to College - There was a law suit brought years ago, by a football player at OSU - who sued, because he could not read and write!

Therefore, Our Great Lady has once again stumbled, but not from a terrorist attack, but from the crumbling of solid American Standards.

[txlakeside]

the_majesty, lying idiot.... no one is trying to take your pea-shooter away. You really are dumb as dirt and constantly lie! You are the Dems poster child for what is wrong with America ... Un-American liars using fear to push folks in your direction! You are the definition of the AMERICAN TALIBAN! Latinos ... now it is up to you to show your support at the polls and vote the rest of the lieing, fear monger, crying, whining republiCONS out in 2010! We have to get rid of the rest of the dumb as dirt rednecks like the birthers and the_majesty!

[veteran7796]

If the next president, or Supreme Judge elected is a white person, will be allowed to celebrate exclusively as "Caucasians"...the victory of our newly elected official?

Again, why does the fact that she is Latina/o have anything to do with her success, experience, or qualification?

[navyvet01]

Veteran 7796,

Respectfully speaking, Caucasians have been able to celebrate the victory of elected officials since the founding of our great country. Being the first person of Latino descent to ascend to the Supreme Court is an honor not only for those of Latin descent, but all Americans as it shows that all Americans can achieve milestones such as this. For years the Supreme Court was designated for white males, until Thurgood Marshall became the first African American justice to be nominated to the court in 1967. That was only 42 years ago, a blink of an eye compared to the 178 years it took to appoint an African American. Many achievements have been made in the 42 years since Thurgood Marshall was appointed to the Court, including the addition of 3 female justices (including the newly appointed Sotomayor. We should aspire to see the diversity of our wonderful country reflected in the ranks of our elected officials.

[txlakeside]

hey vet, get excited, jump up and down, have a rally if that is what floats your boat ... the point is she is qualified, experienced and she the 1st Latino on the Supreme Court and only the 3rd woman ever!

[marmolejo1]

Since when are latinos only 'more than 15%' of the population. I believe your numbers are misleading...we became the majority population long ago.