That Nasty Latino Temperament

In her monthly column for the Daily News, Dolores Prida —perhaps the smartest voice in the analysis of Latino issues— addressed a few of the most frequently heard criticisms of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor: that she would be a “reverse racist” with a “temperament problem.”

Says Prida:

The temperament charge stems from the fact that Sotomayor is known as an assertive courtroom manager who keeps a tight rein on the proceedings and has little patience with dawdling lawyers — something that in a male judge is seen as a virtue.

(…)

And while this [reverse racism acussation] craziness went on, how have hot-tempered Latinos behaved? Like a model of coolness and restraint, shinning examples of dignity and respect.

That’s because, unlike those aggrieved white males, we have years and years of experience in being disrespected and really discriminated against and even murdered for just being who we are.

(Read Prida’s complete column here)