Reflections on Sandra D. O’Connor
It has been several weeks since Sandra D. O’Connor passed away. As you know, she was the first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court (by President Reagan in 1981). Her confirmation by the U.S. Senate was unanimous (there were no votes against her). Those were the days my friends. Her life and career are worthy of paying homage. It has relevance to Castro Valley. It is that 50 years ago we corresponded with each other. The year was 1974. I was in graduate school at the University of Nevada, Reno. My major was in Political Science. My minor was in History. My interest in these subjects was about the broad flow of forces that form the composite of both fields of study. Of particular interest was the relationship between government and the governed. This curiosity led me to Sandra D. O’Connor.
Because I was living in Nevada at the time, it is important to note that there was an inherent skepticism about the size and scope of government (87% of the land is government owned). It struck me that there should be a debate about this on a statewide basis. I wondered if a limit could be set on the overall size of the state government. The question was not born with an adversarial intent, but one that was thoughtful and philosophical. Through a contact in Sacramento, I was put in touch with a State Senator in Arizona that was pursuing this subject. Her name was Sanda D. O’Connor. We exchanged views in written correspondence, as well as on the phone. Despite our communications, nothing came of our efforts.
Later, State Senator O’Connor served as a Superior Court Judge and on the Arizona State Court of Appeals. Given her experience, as well as a strong academic background (Stanford Law), President Reagan appointed her to the Supreme Court. She also had added qualifications that made her an interesting choice. She was practical and grounded in her views and life experiences. This included a background in ranching. She also valued lifelong learning, and the value of places like museums and libraries as venues for that pursuit.
It is through this background that Justice O’Connor and I had a chance to come together years after our original communications. I was serving on the National Board at the Institute of Museum & Library Services. Like O’Connor, I had been nominated by a President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Although she had been scheduled to swear me in, a conflict developed. As a result, another judge from the Supreme Court did (David Souter). At a later swearing-in, however, O’Connor was able to perform the task. It was then that we were enabled to meet in person (see adjoining photograph).
Although three decades had passed between our original communications, our memories were clear from the past. We discussed our mutual efforts, despite the lack of success in manifesting them further. Our focus, however, was fundamental to the political and legal debates of our time. As we talked, we also shared our common bond in another arena – the culture of ranching and the spirit that comes from that lifestyle. We discussed poetry, music, dance, literature, and storytelling that is born from within that domain. She, like me, had attended the Western Folklife Festival in Elko, Nevada. It was a place where people can come together to think and talk and learn in ways that are grounded in our national character. Although being on the national political stage can be exciting, it can also be enriching to be among the burros and donkeys in the Ruby Mountains in Nevada. Having that awareness made O’Connor a solid person to have served on the U.S. Supreme Court. This was also at the heart of our shared interests. She would have fit in well here in Castro Valley.