Experience has taught me that you cannot value dreams according to the odds of their coming true. Their real value is in stirring within us the will to aspire. Sonia Sotomayor More Quotes by Sonia Sotomayor More Quotes From Sonia Sotomayor I've never had my dexterity called into question, but I think if that was ever the case, I could acquit myself by tossing a ball back and forth horizontally between my hands. Sonia Sotomayor dexterity hands thinking I had many reasons for writing this book but among them was the hope that every Latino child and adult would find something familiar in it. And my hope is that when they finish reading the book, that they will come away with a renewed sense of pride in our culture and in who we are. We get a lot of strength from that [culture and identity] and we should be proud of it. Sonia Sotomayor reading book children I hope in my book [My Beloved World], that the sense that I really feel connected comes through. Sonia Sotomayor beloved book world I think there's a large segment of the mainland population that does not really understand the number of territories that are part of the United States. Sonia Sotomayor united-states numbers thinking I think that even someone who got into an institution through affirmative action could prove they were qualified by what they accomplished there. Sonia Sotomayor institutions action thinking I am willing to bet that there are some Puerto Ricans who don’t know about [their status]. Sonia Sotomayor willing knows As you may know from my life story, my cousin who was my soul mate went to a public school. And he died of AIDS. Would I and my brother have been able to resist the lure of drugs in the surrounding schools? Who knows. Sonia Sotomayor cousin brother school I had many reasons for writing memoir but among them was the hope that every Latino child and adult would find something familiar in it. Sonia Sotomayor adults writing children I don't stand by the understanding of that statement that I will ignore other facts or other experiences because I haven't had them. I do believe that life experiences are important to the process of judging - They help you to understand and listen - but that the law requires a result. And it would command you to the facts that are relevant to the disposition of the case. Sonia Sotomayor judging law believe That's why we have appellate judges that are more than one judge because each of us, from our life experiences, will more easily see different perspectives argued by parties. But judges do consider all of the arguments of litigants. I have. Most of my opinions, if not all of them, explain to parties by the law requires what it does. Sonia Sotomayor perspective party law As a Catholic, you can have two views on capital punishment. You can think, let Caesar do what Caesar needs to do, and the law says you can impose capital punishment, so you impose it. You can [also] be a Catholic who says we can't kill, we can't kill babies and we can't kill adults. If you let a decision be driven by your personal views, then you are not doing what a judge needs to do, which is enforce the laws of the society that you are in. But you can control your own behavior, and that is the choice that the church and God gives us - what kind of people are we going to be. Sonia Sotomayor views baby thinking I think being a Catholic made me a better person. It taught me how to choose good over evil, and how to be a more caring human being. Sonia Sotomayor caring evil thinking I got a message from one of my friends in Puerto Rico, who said, 'Sonia, there's nobody working in Puerto Rico - they're all glued to the television'. And I got a similar message from a friend in Spain. Sonia Sotomayor spain messages television I was aware that my nomination was drawing a lot of attention, particularly in the Latino world, not just in Puerto Rico. It was touching. Sonia Sotomayor drawing touching attention Without question, so many people, throughout my life, never think of Puerto Rico as part of the United States. Many people have no idea what the relationship is between Puerto Rico and the United States. And certainly, I have been asked if we are citizens. Sonia Sotomayor people ideas thinking In my experience when a friend unloaded about a boyfriend or spouse, the listener soaked up the complaint and remembered it long after the speaker had forgiven the offense. Sonia Sotomayor spouse complaints long I am eternally grateful to all of the Latino groups outside of the Puerto Rican community, but including the Puerto-Rican community, who came to support me during the process [of nomination]. Sonia Sotomayor support grateful community There had been questions raised about whether we could ever really unite to work together on an issue, whether we could do it with equal passion and fervor. And it happened during my nomination and I think I forever will be grateful for that love, for that support and for proving those naysayers wrong. Sonia Sotomayor passion grateful thinking To the extent that the parents who send their children to these [Catholic] schools are parents like my own, who actually have faith in the church. Faith that it will provide their children with safety, a decent education and values about life and others. This is an institution that stands for all good in the world. Sonia Sotomayor safety children school how many times would a defendant's lawyer enter the courtroom before a session and ask each of the male clerks and paralegals around me, 'Are you the assistant in charge?' while I sat there invisible to him at the head of the table? Sonia Sotomayor males clerks tables
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