How did we regress to the point in America where we think there's an equivalence of some kind between trying to "inspire" ethnic minorities and the white majority?

That seems to be the takeaway from Graham's questioning of Sotomayor for her "wise Latina" comment.

Sonya Sotamayor basically said that she was trying to inspire young Latinas to believe in themselves and believe that they have something to add to our society and can make a difference, etc.

If, however, a white judge were to go in front of a mostly white audience of young, would-be lawyers, legislators and future judges, make similar comments about being white, it just wouldn't be equivalent. It would be ugly and racist. It would look like a Klan rally.

Whether people want to acknowledge it or not, there is a huge, huge difference between ethnic MINORITIES and the dominant majority of any nation. Obviously. It's one of those "duh" things. Or should be. It's soooo obvious, it seems to have been lost on much of the GOP.

It looks like Sotomayor walked her comments back, and she shouldn't have to. This nation should be beyond that. We should be mature enough to understand the profound difference between minorities and dominant majorities, the history of racism, discrimination, and just the "real politik" of unequal power distribution.

History tells us there is no danger in a democracy when it comes to inspiring virtually powerless ethnic minorities, and there can be great upside. It also tells us there is great danger in trying to whip up any dominant majority against those minorities.

In short, the powerless minority has, almost by definition, no power to hurt the dominant majority, but the reverse is not the case.

There is no equivalence in Graham's scenario.