Tikun Olam-תקון עולם: Make the World a Better Place

New Haven's firefighters bear witness to their white maleness (Brian Smialowski/NYT)

If ever a picture told a story of 1,000 words it’s this one.   The reporters are dutifully working behind the firefighters to parse the meaning of the Sotomayor confirmation hearings, when they story is right there in front of them in all its starched white male glory.

The Latina federal judge finds in New Haven’s favor when the city is troubled that not a single African-American passed the promotion exam.  Only white males passed and were eligible to be promoted.  Imagine the chutzpah of Sotomayor being troubled by that outcome.  Troubled by the fact that no African-American would be promoted in the city’s fire department.  Troubled by the fact that the fire department officer corps would trend white while the city was largely minority.

And these white males dressed in their starched, pressed uniforms want the world to know that Sonia Sotomayor had the temerity to stand in their white male way.  Imagine.  Let the world pay attention to the injustice of it all, they seem to be saying.

Well, bollocks to that, I say.  White males don’t own this country and they shouldn’t own the officer corps of New Haven’s fire department.  I don’t think their interests will be significantly harmed if one or two African Americans are promoted each year.

Who brought these guys to the hearing?  White male Republican senators of course.  This is the way the Republican party is going to win back control of Congress.  By parading a bunch of white guys for whom the world should feel sorry.  Gimme a break.  Nice try fellas.  But you’re only fooling yourselves if you think this is a strategy for recovery.