fbpx

Institutional Traditions Changing

[additional-authors]
February 19, 2016

This past week with the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and the continuing coverage of the two presidential nomination races, a reality of our times that has gone little commented on was brought into sharp focus—–the diversity of the candidates for president and the unusual makeup of the United States Supreme Court.

As Justice Scalia’s replacement is discussed, it is hard not to notice that an institution that was once the domain of white Anglo Saxon Protestant males now has not one W.A.S.P. on the nine member court. Instead, a court that for decades had seven Anglo justices, one (occasionally two) Roman Catholics and one (and once two) Jewish justices and no females now has NO Protestant justices, three Jews, three females, and until Justice Scalia’s death, six Catholic justices.

Other than perhaps the remnant of the Ku Klux Klan and other far out haters, that transformation has been barely remarked on. No one now seems to be clamoring for a Protestant to reclaim a seat on the Court—party affiliation and ideology seem far more important than a justice’s place of worship.

That was not historically the case—-when Louis J. Brandeis (the first Jewish justice) was appointed to the Court in 1916 by Woodrow Wilson, one critic “>Larry David’s impression on Saturday Night Live) yet, he attracts young people by the thousands and his religion seems irrelevant to their assessment of his qualifications.

When Sen. Joe Lieberman ran for vice president in 2000 I

Did you enjoy this article?
You'll love our roundtable.

Editor's Picks

Latest Articles

Difficult Choices

Jews have always believed in the importance of higher education. Today, with the rise in antisemitism across many college campuses, Jewish high school seniors are facing difficult choices.

All Aboard the Lifeboat

These are excruciating times for Israel, and for the Jewish people.  It is so tempting to succumb to despair. That is why we must keep our eyes open and revel in any blessing we can find.  

More news and opinions than at a
Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.

More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.

More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.