Today's photo: The new Supreme Court

[usregimechange]

It's official photo day at the Supreme Court. Here is the full court, including its newest member, Sonia Sotomayor.

(Photo by Jack Gruber, USA TODAY)

[polichick]

1. A big improvement - but we still have a ways to go before the SC reflects...

...the population.

[newtothegame]

12. I've never really liked that argument; how exactly does that work?

And why is it skin color and gender are the only attributes that make an organization "reflect the population?" People make SUCH a big deal at accurately reflecting race, but what about single moms? People with aids? Cancer survivors?

I guess I'm just saying, if we're looking to better resemble the population, I think a single mom could relate to more constituent's experiences and address their concerns better than could someone that just happens to share the same skin color as some constituents? Why do we focus on the race side so much?

[polichick]

13. I didn't say anything about race...

imo it's important to have more women on the court though ~ we make up more than half the population. And yes, I'd love to see a single mom there.

[newtothegame]

14. Fair enough, my bad. I guess I more meant that usually when this argument is made, it's about race.

[damntexdem]

17. Ideally, just naturally, as people of exceptional merit are recognized with nominations.

But it hasn't worked that way for well over 200 years, so it needs a little help.

[newtothegame]

18. Agreed. But again, why does only race need help? Or race and gender?

Why is someone's skin color more important than their experiences? I go back to the single mom/AIDs patient/cancer survivor example. Aren't their experiences more valuable to their constituents than the color of their skin?

[roody]

27. I am not comfortable with those rich, white men making

decisions about my life and our country.

[newtothegame]

28. And I'm not comfortable with parents from nuclear families making those decisions.

Or people that haven't had AIDS. Or cancer? Why is it always about race?

[Ineeda]

2. Nice. But I wish the lace at the throat of the women wasn't deemed necessary. n/t

[usregimechange]

5. It is a Ginsburg/O'Connor tradition, no tradition existed at that time

[Ineeda]

9. but perpetuating a tradition

that distinguishes women from the men doing the same job doesn't feel right to me.

[Hekate]

20. They're women, not robots. Why not Mao jackets all around?

:eyes:

Hekate (also a woman)

[Ineeda]

23. sorry, maybe I'm dense but I don't get your point. n/t

[Hekate]

24. Complete conformity to male norms isn't necessary. Even the military has feminine "dress uniforms"

... for women. I think that Justice O'Connor may have had the British style in mind when she chose the neck frill. You may or may not have noticed that the men all wear white shirts and neckties under their black robes. Do the women need to do that too to indicate that they can "do a man's job"? Nah.

Hekate

[Ineeda]

25. Thanks for the reply, and I totally agree that they don't have to

conform to the male standard to demonstrate their ability to do the job. I just think it looks silly.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

26. Take it up with the Supreme Court.

"Not only is the Supreme Court robe unfashionable, but it was also designed mainly for men. Sandra Day O'Connor, the Supreme Court's first female justice, recalled in an interview how her neckline made her looked washed out while her male colleagues looked crisp in their white shirts and ties. So she found inspiration in Europe courtrooms, and innovated a collar for her SCOTUS robe. Since then, Ruth Bader Ginsburg--who has a rather charming style of her own--paired a robe from England and a lace collar from South Africa. When Sonia Sotomayor starts work on Tuesday, "Good Morning America" reports, she'll be sporting a similar collar given to her by Ginsburg."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/04/sotomayor-to-wear-judicia_n_277847.html

It's amazing to me the things people find to complain about.

[SoCalDem]

7. Me too.. looks like they tucked a napkin in at breakfast & forgot to remove it

I think we could tell which were the "girls" without a lace doily. At least Roberts did away with the racing stripes that Rehnquist had on his gown:)

[kestrel91316]

3. Still short on women, ethnic minorities, and non-catholics.

[Renew Deal]

4. Scalia, Alito, and Thomas look like they ate a crap sandwich

If they don't like being there they should leave. :wtf:

[lies and propaganda]

6. I know they abhor empathy...

but jeez.. could Scalia and Thomas look any more apathetic?

[ensho]

8. and then there is the prick in the center of the first row

nt

[Kadie]

10. Alito does not look happy (close-up pic)

[Sal Minella]

11. He was given a mission.

And silly things like photography sessions interfere with that mission.

He will not smile until every political office in the nation is occupied by a corporate puppet.

[gateley]

15. He looks pompous. Or constipated. nt

[usregimechange]

19. Looks like some just goosed him

[defendandprotect]

16. MORE WOMEN NEEDED . . .!!!

[spanone]

21. alito looks like he's caught a whiff of a fart

[Hekate]

22. Maybe Fat Tony will have an infarct and we can get another woman, possibly a Unitarian this time.

Not that I wish him any harm, mind you.

Hekate

[BurtWorm]

29. Kennedy doesn't look well.

He should really retire. For his health.