On Judges, GOP Also Stood in the Doorway

You’ve got to admire Michael Ramirez’s cartoon comparing the Democrats’ attempt to block President Bush’s nominee to the federal appeals court, Miguel Estrada, to Gov. George Wallace’s blocking of black students from attending schools in the South (Commentary, March 6). His use of an image from our nation’s history is very clever. However, his memory of American history is selective. During President Clinton’s term, GOP lawmakers blocked dozens of nominees using tactics similar to those the Democrats are using now.

Ronny K. Marshall

West Hollywood

Comparing the Democrats’ opposition to Estrada to the opposition blacks faced over integration is so typical of Ramirez. It is tantamount to saying that the Democrats’ opposition to Clarence Thomas was because they were against blacks. Although they are a small minority, you can find conservatives among blacks and Latinos. But we need judges on the bench, not liberals and conservatives. Give us judges whom a Democratic or a Republican administration can’t “count on” but we as Americans can, and we will be on our way to a judicial system that we can trust.

Lewis Goodkin

Palm Springs