Letters to the Editor: It’s Joe Biden’s Supreme Court pick, not James Clyburn’s

To the editor: I think that the appointment of a Black woman to the Supreme Court is decades overdue and would certainly reflect the diversity of America. But the fact that Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) is publicly and privately promoting U.S. District Court Judge J. Michelle Childs as successor to Justice Stephen G. Breyer sticks in my craw a little bit.

Joe Biden’s win in the South Carolina Democratic primary in early 2020 definitely turned the tide for his campaign. Biden became president, and Clyburn became kingmaker.

Evidently there are several excellent, formidable and highly qualified women under consideration. The argument being put forth is that Childs’ nomination would have bipartisan support because she would receive the backing of the two Republican senators from South Carolina.

To that, I say hogwash. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is a shameless shape-shifter and has shown himself to be notoriously unreliable.

I sincerely hope that Biden stands firm and independently chooses the woman who he thinks is the most worthy, absent any supposed obligations to his political allies and their unending “asks.”

Ramona Saenz, Alhambra

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To the editor: Why all the hand-wringing about Biden’s pledge to appoint a Black woman to the Supreme Court?

For 200 years presidents placed race and gender limitations on their choices. The only difference is that those limitations have been white and male.

Judith Chirlin, Los Angeles

The writer is a retired Los Angeles County Superior Court judge.

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To the editor: Our present Supreme Court consists of two Jewish justices, six Roman Catholic justices, and one affiliated with both the Anglican and Catholic faiths.

About 25% of our population is not religious. President Biden should appoint a qualified person from this underrepresented group, such as an atheist, humanist, agnostic or someone of unaffiliated religious status.

Charles Wilson, Oxnard