Today Michael Medved had a wonderful 1st hour with a discussion about Sonia Sotomayor’s now infamous “Wise Latina” Speech. Medved, is in the humble opinion of The Pink Flamingo, the finest talk show host on the radio, and should be the titular head of the Republican Party. (It’s a logic thing).
Medved takes the logical premise that having a specific background and ethnicity has no bearing on a judge, or anyone else. I think the best thing Barack Obama has yet to do as POTUS is perhaps open the ages old discussion of Nature v. Nurture.
In a way, though, I think Medved is wrong.
I think we are all products of our upbringing, environment, and genetics. I have a fascinating heritage that includes at least 20 (so far identified) DAR Patriot Ancestors. So far I have the papers on 2, and really need to do additional supplements, but it’s a pain. My family comes from Wales, England, and Scotland. My grandfather Froehlich was 1/2 German, but I’m not all that into my German ancestors. I will admit that his grandfather Froehlich received his US Citizenship by being a Hessian Mercenary during the Civil War. Family stories say Lincoln was present when he received his papers. We will never know, but it is a great story. I have ancestors who survived two historic Indian massacres. And – I am distantly related to just about every major American writer and British writers. The family business is writing and patriotism. We take our politics very, very seriously. There is another reason, but that’s another story.
Who I am is the product of that heritage. Who I am is also the product of the values given to me by my parents and grandparents. Who I am is also the product of being molested as a child by my elementary school principal. Most importantly, who I am is a product of my belief as a Christian.
This cannot be separated from me, my judgement, of my values.
Enuf of me.
My reason for questioning Medved this one time once again (isn’t it always with me) goes right back to Wyatt Earp.
Wyatt Earp was born in Monmouth, Illinois, at 406 South 3rd Street. He lived there with his family until they moved to Pella, Iowa, where he grew up. Many of Wyatt’s cousins still live in Monmouth.
As a young man, he moved, with his family to Lamar, Missouri. There he married Rilla Sutherland. During the year Wyatt and Urilla were married (she died a year later in childbirth, probably due to typhoid) Wyatt was employed as a city cop. It was his first job as a lawman. Many of his cousins still reside in the Lamar area.
None of this would be important to anyone but Earp fans and scholars except for two specific things. Many years after Wyatt was born, a boy moved to Monmouth with his brother and his parents. His father was a shoe salesman in a department store there in town – when he was sober. His mother worked, according to Earp family history, as a maid in the same store to help make ends meet when her husband was drunk.
The Earp family always felt sorry for the poor woman. They would do what they could to help with food, fuel and clothing when her husband was drunk. They were rather concerned about the general welfare of her two sons, and wondered if they would amount to something or turn out to be a drunks like their father, Jack Reagan.
I think you know the rest of the story.
In Lamar, Missouri, not far from the house where Wyatt and Rilla were living their single year of marriage, (again according to Earp family stories) another young family, in 1884, rented a house owned by Wyatt’s uncle, Lorenzo Earp. There their son Harry was born. When Harry was 10 months old they move elsewhere in Missouri, but their son was born in a home owned by Wyatt Earp’s father’s brother.
In many ways Harry Truman and Ronald Reagan were very much alike. Both possessed a certain courage of character, resolve, and determination. Both men were required to make very serious decisions that forever changed the fate of the United States.
Would Harry Truman and Ronald Reagan have the same character if they had not been associated with towns that were strong in the lore and legend of Wyatt Earp? We will never know, but the irony is splendid, and too beautiful to ignore.
When one considers the fact that Ronald Reagan often spoke well of Wyatt Earp, it does make me think there is a connection.
What does this have to do with Sonia Sotomayor having a “Latino” outlook on life? Maybe nothing, maybe everything. Both Reagan and Truman had much the same outlook on life as did Wyatt Earp.
Did Wyatt Earp inspire them later in life?
I have an idea that he did.
But – is this a good trait for a judge? While it may have served Judge Roy Bean, I don’t think it works well on the Supreme Court of the US.
