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there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race.
5th Debate – October 7, 1858. Lincoln said: “He [Douglas] would leave the question of slavery where the territory was acquired, to be settled by the people of the acquired territory ... If Judge Douglas’s policy upon this question succeeds and gets fairly settled down, until all opposition is crushed out, the next thing will be a grab for the territory of Mexico... When we shall get Mexico, I don’t know whether the Judge will be in favor of the Mexican people that we get with it settling that question
for themselves and all others; because we know the Judge has
a great horror for mongrels, and I understand that the people of Mexico are most decidedly a race of mongrels. I understand that there is not more than one person there out of eight who is pure white, and I suppose from the Judge’s previous declaration that when we get Mexico or any considerable portion of it, that he will be in favor of these mongrels settling the question....”
These words passed Lincoln’s lips. Later, better words passed those lips regarding slavery, for which I am eternally grateful. If he had lived longer, perhaps he would have spoken better words about Mexicans. But, just like President Lincoln was a man of his time, so are we people of our time. Undoubtedly, there are things we say today that are perfectly acceptable to the majority, but which will be abhorrent when considered by history.
Our job is to figure out what those things are and to have the courage to act on our conclusions as President Lincoln himself
did later in his too short life.
Your job is to figure out what these things are and to have the courage to act on your conclusions.
President Lincoln was a great man who contributed substantially to this great nation. He was not infallible and he should not be deified. Instead, he should be seen within the rich context of history, not reduced and whitewashed by two approving quotes by Frederick Douglas.
I cover these cases about race and immigration because our immigration history infects our thoughts on race and how
we see and treat each other. I urge respect and dialogue as we move together toward heterogeneous progress. I am Latino and proud of that part of my identity and heritage as I am proud
of all parts of my identity and heritage including my Eastern European Jewish heritage. This is my country and my culture. I hope you will join me in working to make real the promises that we have made to each other in this nation: That we are all entitled to justice and equity. And, regardless of your title, whether you’re behind the judicial bench or behind the clerk counter, we all play a part in making that promise real.
Chief Justice Steven C. González was sworn in as the Supreme Court's 58th Chief Justice on January 11, 2021, following a vote of his peers for a four-year term. He was appointed to the court January 1, 2012, and won two contested races for six-year terms in 2013 and 2019. Before joining the Supreme Court, he served ten years as a trial judge on the King County Superior Court.
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March/April 2024 | PIERCE COUNTY LAWYER 15