The Confirmation of the Newest US Supreme Court Justice: A Hard-Earned Victory

Published in Der Standard
(Austria) on 8 April 2022
by Manuela Honsig-Erlenburg (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Kirsty Low. Edited by Michelle Bisson.
Ketanji Brown Jackson will be the first Black woman on the Supreme Court.

The U.S. will have its first Black female Supreme Court justice: Ketanji Brown Jackson. It is a historic moment that comes 58 years after the Civil Rights Act that granted African Americans equality, at least before the law. The judge, who was nominated by Joe Biden and whose credentials are considered unquestionable by experts, was confirmed Thursday by 53 of 100 U.S. senators, including three Republicans.

Of course, her confirmation will not change the ideological composition of the Supreme Court, which consists of six conservative justices and only three progressive members of the court. But apart from the fact that there is finally a Black woman on the highest court in the U.S., Biden badly needed this confirmation. He can finally deliver on one of his central election promises. His presidency, which has been hampered by a deep ideological and party-political rift, has not been going well.

The typical Supreme Court justice is still male, older and, above all, white. Some of the things that KBJ, as she is already being called, has had to put up with can be categorized as racist and misogynistic. In any case, her hearing at times featured grotesque party politics. KBJ skillfully countered Republican attacks and remained objective. All those involved in the U.S. political circus should follow her example.


US-Höchstrichterin bestätigt: Schwer verdient

Ketanji Brown Jackson wird die erste schwarze Höchstrichterin der USA

Die USA bekommen ihre erste schwarze Höchstrichterin: Ketanji Brown Jackson. Ein historischer Moment, ganze 58 Jahre nach dem Civil Rights Act, der schwarze US-Amerikaner und US-Amerikanerinnen zumindest vor dem Gesetz gleichstellte. Die von Joe Biden nominierte und in Fachkreisen unumstrittene Juristin wurde am Donnerstag von 53 der 100 US-Senatorinnen und US-Senatoren bestätigt. Immerhin drei Stimmen kamen von republikanischer Seite.

An der Ausrichtung des Supreme Court mit nur drei progressiveren und sechs konservativen Richterinnen und Richtern wird sich freilich dadurch nichts ändern. Aber neben der Tatsache, dass nun endlich auch eine schwarze Frau auf einem der höchsten Richterposten sitzt, hat Biden diese Bestätigung bitter nötig. Endlich kann er eines seiner zentralen Wahlversprechen zur Gänze einlösen. Seine durch den tiefen ideologisch-parteipolitischen Riss erschwerte Präsidentschaft stand bisher nämlich unter keinem guten Stern.

Der typische Höchstrichter ist freilich nach wie vor männlich, alt und vor allem weiß. Was KBJ, wie sie bereits genannt wird, sich teilweise gefallen lassen musste, kann als rassistisch und frauenfeindlich eingestuft werden, jedenfalls war ihre Anhörung mitunter eine parteipolitische Groteske. KBJ parierte die republikanischen Angriffe mit Bravour und blieb auf der sachlichen Ebene. Eine Verhaltensweise, an der sich alle im US-Politzirkus ein Vorbild nehmen sollten.
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