Video: Hispanic Sototmayor Finally Confirmed to Highest Court

From Denny: Apologies, everyone, power outage Thursday due to severe thunderstorms and was unable to complete all my posting... meant to get this video up. Had just finished loading the Libations Friday post and zap went the power grid with all that rain.

This Democratic President has done more for women in just six months than the last two Republican Presidents ever did in the past 25 years!

Sonia Sotomayor Sworn In Today!

From Denny: Sonia Sotomayor was sworn in today by Chief Justice Roberts in two ceremonies, one private and one public.

Another first is that this is the first time in the Court's history that television cameras were allowed for an oath-taking ceremony.

Sotomayor, a 55-year-old federal appeals judge, was confirmed on Thursday by a 68 - 31 vote. There were nine Republicans who joined the Democratic caucus to support her nomination. Because of his battling brain cancer, Senator Ted Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, was unable to be there to vote, though he has always supported her ground-breaking nomination.

When does Sotomayor begin her new job? The High Court reconvenes in September to listen to arguments about the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law.

So where does Sotomayor fit in the stats and trivia department? She is the 111th person to sit on the Supreme Court and only the third woman. Republicans have been adept at keeping women off the court for decades now. She is also the first Hispanic.

Her public professional history is that in 1992 she was named a district judge by President George Bush 41. Later she was elevated to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals just six years later by President Bill Clinton in 1998. While on the district court she presided over 450 cases.

In her private professional life she had been a partner at a firm as well as an assistant district attorney prosecuting violent crimes.

She has come to the Court with more experience than the Chief Justice and most of the rest of the Court members which is probably why the Republicans fought her rise.

What Do You Do to Reach Enlightenment and Then Afterward?

Alonzo E. Lyon in about 1905 at age 25. He did not become my grandfather until age 80 and lived to almost age 95.

From Denny: This is a post I featured on two of my other blogs: Beautiful Illustrated Quotations and The Healing Waters. Often I've stated that a quote is always good for a short essay and out popped one yesterday and here's the proof! :) Who needs to invent writing exercises when you have scores of quotations from which to choose to write a commentary? Which is also why I quit parking so many quotes on this blog and started up a new companion blog to house them. Live and learn!

I've always liked this quote. What's interesting is that my Christian Grand Dad from Kentucky, who had never heard of Zen, taught me the same concept through his wisdom AND his attitude AND his actions - something completely lost on his own son and other grandchildren, even arrogantly dismissed and ignored.

I was the only kid who liked to literally sit at his feet and listen to his tales of his youth, his farming and other business adventures and finally the wisdom of what he had learned in this life. He was one of those rare individuals who read the Bible literally every day as he found great Joy in doing so - yet he never was a finger-in-your-face kind of man. Grand Dad really understood the true messages from Jesus, unlike so many of his time period.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Frederick Vinson Image via Wikipedia

As I was doing some family genealogy I found out many things about my grandfather he never publicized. During his time he felt God blessed him with wealth and, therefore, it was his job to be responsible with that wealth and do a lot in the community. He didn't do that on a flashy basis with his name on a million buildings and show off at public events. He did it one person at a time - just like Jesus.

Basically, he functioned in the office of Apostle as he helped so many people from so many walks of life when they experienced hard times. Then those people went out and passed it forward to help others too.

He was a childhood best friend of a Supreme Court Chief Justice (Vinson) who was deciding about civil rights and segregation. That Justice used to come home to Kentucky and go fishing with Grand Dad (Alonzo Lyon). I know my grandfather; he would not let any moment pass to press for the civil rights of African-Americans. He was horrified and disgusted at the treatment of returning WWII black veterans.

Grand Dad also pressed for women's rights as he considered women " the best of mankind." What a unique attitude for his time! He was the parent - and the inspiration - my father never chose to be. Grand Dad often called him down on his bad attitude, especially toward women, "there was no call for that, not even with children."

Women loved his company. Children flocked to him as I often strolled with him around the neighborhood every summer to share him with the other kids who had grandparents who were indifferent to children. Every summer he was like the local celebrity!

Well into his late 80's he made friends with the local five-year-olds. When questioned about that practice he would reply, "I've outlived my wife, my friends and most of my family including my twin. Besides, you make friends with every generation." With a huge knowing smile and a wink in his eye, "It won't be that long before this little boy will be a young man and we can go fishing together!" He definitely was "a fisher of men."

Quote

"Before enlightenment - chop wood, carry water.
After enlightenment - chop wood, carry water."

~ Zen Buddhist Proverb