As much as I want to write about my fabulous 4th of July weekend, I have much more urge to write about this news.

When I was working in the Fire Island this weekend, one of my friends rang me and told me that Sandra Day O’Connor had resigned from the Supreme Court. Even though her resignation has been expected, I was still shocked. I thought Rehnquist would be the first one.

Sandra Day O’Connor was the first woman justice who sat on the Supreme Court. She was nominated by Reagan in 1981. She is the biggest swing vote in the Highest Court over the year. Since 1994, she has sided with the majority in more 5 to 4 decisions than any other justice.

Some critics called her a moderate judge, some called her a conservative. However, in my opinion, I think she is still a conservative judge (even though she sided with the majority to uphold the Roe Vs Wade in 1992 and affirmative action in 2003).

There were three landmark court decisions that make me believe that way. She sided with the majority to stop the Florida recount in the 2000 presidential election. In the same year, in the case of Boy Scouts of America vs. Dale, she ruled that the Boy Scouts could exclude gays from its group. In 2002, she sided with the majority to uphold vouchers for religious school tuition.

On the top of that, I believe because of her conservatism, she chose this timing when Bush is still in the White House to resign from her Supreme Court so that Bush will be able to pick another conservative judge to be in the Supreme Court.

The future of this country is critical. The chief judge- Rehnquist will be likely to retire soon. So, the equation is there will be one more seat open. However, we do not need to have two more conservative judges to be in the Supreme Court. 7 of 9 of the judges in this court are nominated by the Republican President. At least 4 of them are hard-core conservatives. Just another conservative judge, the political and cultural landscape of this country will be dramatically changed. All the progress that this country has advanced might be pushed back to the pre-era of civil right struggle in the 60s. All gay right, minority right and women right might be overturned. The religious groups will be the biggest winners.

However, I think Sandra Day O’Connor is admirable. From the hardship she had when she was young in Arizona to the first woman Supreme Court judge, I think she is great. Nevertheless, she is a history. Now, let’s start thinking about the future. How can we protect our right, how can we stand on our convictions and how can we say no to any hardcore conservative judge nominees from this ultra-conservative Administration.

Let the fight for the Supreme Court begin.

Tae Athikomvittaya