Stop Judge Samuel Alito

Judge Samuel Alito must be filibustered.

I applaud the fact that he upheld a Jewish citizen's right to observe Shabbas. That is the only positive thing going for him. Judge Alito must be filibustered by the United States in the Senate. We have to pick our own fights as people constantly tell me.

In Abramson v. Patterson College in 2001, Alito strongly supported the prevailing opinion upholding an Orthodox woman’s complaint that faculty meetings held late on Friday afternoons constituted harassment. In a concurring opinion, he wrote that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act "does not permit an employer to manipulate job requirements for the purpose of putting an employee to the cruel choice between religion and employment."

Liberal Jewish groups, concerned about Alito’s conservative positions, particularly with regard to abortion rights, are strategizing how to react to the nomination.

Obviously, that last paragraph is a good statement. How will Jewish groups react?

Think Progress has the facts on Judge Samuel Alito. I'm relisting much of them here but that page is a must read.

Judge Alito favors overturning Roe v. Wade even though 66% of Americans oppose overturning the landmark decision. (Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, 1991)

Judge Alito ruled that the Family Medical and Leave Act was unconstitutional. His ruling was reversed by the Supreme Court. (Chittister v. Department of Community and Economic Development, 2000)

Judge Alito favors the allowing of race-based discrimination. (Bray vs. Marriot Hotels, 1997)

Judge Alito is in favor of disability-based discrimination. (Nathanson v. Medical College of Pennsylvania, 1991)

Judge Alito ruled in favor of unauthorized strip searches. (Doe v. Groody, 2004)

Not to be outdone, but Judge Alito has acted hostile towards immigrants. (Dia v. Ashcroft, 2003; Ki Se Lee v. Ashcroft, 2004).

Read that page and also go ahead and read what the Bull Moose and New Donkey have to say on the matter.

One more from Daily Kos. Judge Alito overturned a "public school district policy that prohibited harassment against students because of their sexual orientation or other characteristics" and said it was unconstitutional. (Saxe v. State, 2001)

The National Jewish Democratic Council released a statement this afternoon on the nomination:

"This morning's nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court of the United States is just the latest chapter in the deepening commitment by George W. Bush and today's GOP to appease the far-right," said National Jewish Democratic Council Executive Director Ira N. Forman. "With his approval ratings sagging into the thirties, the president this morning demonstrated yet again that he and the GOP have never been more dependent on the far-right wing for support. This president could have appealed this morning to the vast majority of Americans, but he did not. Instead, he chose to placate the most extreme conservative elements of his party -- to the detriment of the great majority of this country.

"In replacing retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who cast key deciding votes in favor of a woman's right to choose and the separation of church and state, George W. Bush opted not to nominate a highly-qualified woman -- nor did he choose to appeal to most Americans by nominating a moderate conservative. Instead, he selected a nominee to appeal to the far-right wing; one need only listen to the glowingly positive reaction of the most extreme elements of the conservative coalition to determine this.

"The Senate must now ask some hard questions of Judge Alito to find out where he stands on a wide range of core constitutional issues -- issues such as a woman's right to choose and the separation of church and state, which are supported by the vast majority of American Jews," Mr. Forman added.

Here is another NJDC link to read.

Samuel Alito must be filibustered. He is not the right person for the Supreme Court.

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