tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873113361266972593.post2828247701012128349..comments2010-05-17T19:39:20.879-07:00Comments on Sister Scholar: Sister Law Student Part II: Elena KaganDuchess Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660504592006863880noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873113361266972593.post-51935104377528057262010-05-17T19:40:32.035-07:002010-05-17T19:40:32.035-07:00Dr. Harris, your law school anecdote anchors the p...Dr. Harris, your law school anecdote anchors the political rhetoric around Kagan's nomination in a profoundly personal context. The prof, who likely graduated law school a decade before your were born, argued legalistically the disembodied merits of "The David Howard Incident" (look it up). Niggardly is just a word that means miserly. On March 31st of this year near Lodi CA someone put up a billboard that reads: “OBAMA NIGGARDLY, HURTS SMALL BIZ. BUCK OFAMA.” The reportage references the Howard incident, reminding people that the origin of the word is innocuous, something other than a racial slur. http://www.fox40.com/news/headlines/ktxl-news-obamasign0331,0,1047633.story<br /><br />The image of the billboard above the text shouts out in doublespeak--contradictory concepts placed in close proximity to create confusion that produces apathetic inaction.<br /><br />Kagan’s nomination is equally problematic. Her minion of defenders cite her academic achievement, her remarkable leadership at Harvard and her impressive clerkship for Thurgood Marshall. Above the reportage, in my mind’s eye, I see the picture of a very accomplished white woman in an ivory tower with the 23 white men, 5 white women and one single Asian American woman she hired. And, 29 times she tacitly echoed the tiresome refrain “No Blacks allowed.” And I see Orwell in the background nodding his head as if to say “Do you get it now?”LoloReadshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11436750894783684467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873113361266972593.post-17145042662568625422010-05-17T19:39:20.879-07:002010-05-17T19:39:20.879-07:00Dr. Harris, your law school anecdote anchors the p...Dr. Harris, your law school anecdote anchors the political rhetoric around Kagan's nomination in a profoundly personal context. The prof, who likely graduated law school a decade before your were born, argued legalistically the disembodied merits of "The David Howard Incident" (look it up). Niggardly is just a word that means miserly. On March 31st of this year near Lodi CA someone put up a billboard that reads: “OBAMA NIGGARDLY, HURTS SMALL BIZ. BUCK OFAMA.” The reportage references the Howard incident, reminding people that the origin of the word is innocuous, something other than a racial slur. http://www.fox40.com/news/headlines/ktxl-news-obamasign0331,0,1047633.story<br /><br />The image of the billboard above the text shouts out in doublespeak--contradictory concepts placed in close proximity to create confusion that produces apathetic inaction.<br /><br />Kagan’s nomination is equally problematic. Her minion of defenders cite her academic achievement, her remarkable leadership at Harvard and her impressive clerkship for Thurgood Marshall. Above the reportage, in my mind’s eye, I see the picture of a very accomplished white woman in an ivory tower with the 23 white men, 5 white women and one single Asian American woman she hired. And, 29 times she tacitly echoed the tiresome refrain “No Blacks allowed.” And I see Orwell in the background nodding his head as if to say “Do you get it now?”LoloReadshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11436750894783684467noreply@blogger.com