I believe we need to recognize that any person’s experience will bring a different understanding of the words of the Constitution. The Supreme Court should not be of a single mind. We need to be as concerned about that as we are of legislating from the bench. There needs to be a diversity of backgrounds to ensure justice and common sense. If there is not then we risk the situation that Anatole France observed in his book, The Red Lily, “The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread.”

Judge Sotomayor’s life story is inspiring, but no more so than Justices Alito and Thomas. This country needs to accept judges on the basis of their track record rather than on the concept of liberal and conservative judges. While Democrats have failed to do so in their attacks on Justices Thomas and Alito – that is no reason for the Republican Party to do the same. We desperately need to stop both extremes and work together. We need to stop listening to both Chris Mathews and Rush Limbaugh.