http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/05/27/even-more-context-needed/ Wed, 05 Jan 2011 21:59:36 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/05/27/even-more-context-needed/#comment-10415 Endymion Wed, 27 May 2009 22:07:15 +0000 http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/05/27/even-more-context-needed/#comment-10415 <p>Yes, the problem here is the substantial(although not Bushian) gap between what Sotomayor <em>said </em>and what Sotomayor obviously <em>meant</em>. When speaking, leaving such a gap is always risky, because there will always be some people who just don’t get it, and some others who are determined not to get it.<br /> Here, Sotomayor is employing the ‘just plain folks’ trope on herself by (rather disingenuously) invoking herself as an archetypal Latina and then playing to the desire for narrative balance by invoking a contrasting archetype. But she is not labeling groups with stereotypes, rather she is <strong>comparing the stereotypes themselves</strong>. And trying to talk herself up.</p> Yes, the problem here is the substantial(although not Bushian) gap between what Sotomayor said and what Sotomayor obviously meant. When speaking, leaving such a gap is always risky, because there will always be some people who just don’t get it, and some others who are determined not to get it.
Here, Sotomayor is employing the ‘just plain folks’ trope on herself by (rather disingenuously) invoking herself as an archetypal Latina and then playing to the desire for narrative balance by invoking a contrasting archetype. But she is not labeling groups with stereotypes, rather she is comparing the stereotypes themselves. And trying to talk herself up.

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