Latino leaders miffed with Senator's racial comment

Senator's comment draws criticism from Latino leaders
BY SUMATHI REDDY | Newsday.com, July 15, 2009

It may have elicited laughter during Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation hearing Wednesday, but Sen. Tom Coburn's reference to television character Ricky Ricardo also sparked criticism from Latino leaders and advocates.

In fact, it was the second comment in as many days that left Latinos perplexed at the line of questioning of some senators.

"This seems to be another instance of the growing pains we must deal with while our country is trying to move away from old stereotypes," said Assemb. Phil Ramos (D- Central Islip).

The joking comment in question - that Sotomayor, who is of Puerto Rican descent, would have a lot of 'splainin' to do - was a popular refrain of the Ricky Ricardo character, a Cuban bandleader on the "I Love Lucy" television show.

Coburn, an Oklahoma Republican, made the comment in jest right after Sotomayor had talked hypothetically about getting a gun to shoot him in self-defense. "If I go home, get a gun, come back and shoot you, that may not be legal under New York law because you would have alternative ways to defend . . . " she said.

"You'll have lots of 'splainin' to do," Coburn said.

Luis Valenzuela, executive director of the Long Island Immigrant Alliance, said "oftentimes, comedy perpetuates these stereotypes and they're no less damaging than when they're not in jest."

The comment came a day after Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) pointed out to Sotomayor that Court of Appeals Judge Jose Cabranes disagreed with her decision in a firefighter affirmative action case. Cabranes, he noted, is also "of Puerto Rican ancestry."

In a statement, Lillian Rodriguez-Lopez, president of the Hispanic Federation, an organization of Hispanic community service agencies in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, called that remark "baffling."

"First, he focuses on the need to uphold the law based on the Constitution and legal precedent, and then he expects our judges to think exactly alike based on a shared ethnicity," Rodriguez-Lopez said.

Legis. Ricardo Montano (D-Central Islip) said he doesn't believe Coburn's comments Wednesday were mean-spirited, but said they were "in poor taste."

"I've heard worse and I'm sure that it was an attempt to be humorous, but it's not," he said. "This type of humor should be left to the comedians. In a Senate confirmation hearing for a Latina justice to the Supreme Court it's not funny.