But we do want to note one thing as a list of women, possible nominees to replace Justice David Souter, flies back and forth. We want to note how appalled we are by what passes for 'leadership' on the left because there's one name which has never made the lists and should be at the top of it.
We're not going to lobby to put her on the Supreme Court (for reasons already stated) but we'll note she's earned her place on that and any other list: Anna Diggs Taylor.
Jimmy Carter appointed Judge Diggs Taylor to the federal bench (US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan). The Barnard College and Yale Law School graduate had worked for the Dept of Labor, had been a Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor, an Assistant US Attorney, a legislative assistant to US House Rep Charles C. Diggs, Jr. (her husband from 1960 through 1970, she was a legislative assistant from 1967 through 1970), a labor and a law professor and an attorney in private practice prior to sitting on the bench.
The list of organizations she's a member of include:
Michigan Association of Black Judges
Women Judges Association
Federal Judges Association
State Bar of Michigan
Federal Bar Association
Wolverine Bar Association
National Lawyer's Guild
Women Lawyers Association of Michigan
Civic & Other Activities
Trustee, Community Foundation of Southeastern Michigan
Trustee, Metropolitan Detroit Health Council
Trustee, Founders Society of Detroit Institute of Arts
Trustee, Arts Poetica Chamber Orchestra
Trustee, Henry Ford Health System Eastern Region
Vice President, Yale Law Alumni Association
Co-chair, Volunteer Leadership Coalition
Co-chair, United Way Community Services
Trustee, Herlong Episcopal Cathedral School
She's clearly qualified and she clearly would bring a professional and personal background of needed diversity to the court.
But, most important, she earned her spot on the Supreme Court.
If the name hasn't registered yet, let's drop back to Isaiah's The World Today Just Nuts "Bully Mama Babies Bully Boy" (August 20, 2006).
Yeah. The decision in ACLU v. NSA, the one where Judge Diggs Taylor found, "There are no hereditary kings in American and no powers not created by the Constitution." In 2006, the judge stood up when every other member of our three branch federal government trembled. Judge Anna Diggs Taylor stood up.
She sided with the Constitution. She gave a ruling that she knew the administration in power would be hostile. What she did took courage and guts. It showed real independence and real respect for the law.
It is amazing that a list of potential Supreme Court nominees is repeatedly circulated and her name isn't even on the list.
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Along with Isaiah's illustration, we're also using a photograph of Robert Maniscalo's portrait of Judge Diggs Taylor which hangs in the Theodore Levin US Courthouse, Detroit, Michigan.
