Sandra Day O'Connor
Arizona's Brilliance
Sandra Day O'Connor
The very first woman appointed to the U. S. Supreme Court. She was appointed by President Ronald Regan in July, 1981. Ms. O’connor has a brilliant legal mind with a focused personality that simplifies conflict and finds reason to calm chaos. When you hear or read her reasoning it makes one wonder how anyone could have seen any other solution to the problem presented. All of her renderings seem to favor the rights of women if at all relevant to do so.
She grew up as a child in Duncan, Arizona. When she was of school age she was sent back to El Paso to live with her grandmother and go to an all girl school, then to high school, as well in, El Paso. Perhaps the school systems were better in El Paso at that time. Her Grandmother Wilkey was a very strong and outstanding influence in her life, helping her to mold life and career.
Ms. O’Connor was snubbed by the male dominated law practices in California after graduating from Stanford as a top law review contributor. In 1958 she returned to Arizona and practiced law in Maryvale Arizona, a hard working class suburb of Phoenix at the time. She later was appointed as an assistant Attorney General. She then was elected as an Arizona State Senator for four years. Ms. Sandra Day O’Connor was elected to the Maricopa County Superior Court in 1975. She was then appointed by Governor Bruce Babbit to the Arizona Court of Appeals in 1979 where she remained until appointed as a Justice to the U. S. Supreme Court.
She is now retired from “the bench” but her influences live on. Many female politicians and working women have been extremely influenced by her and have used her career as a format to emulate. In all of this Ms. O’Connor found the time and energy to raise three sons.
Ms. O'Connor is also a breast cancer survivor. She is full of elegance and grace but you can see and hear the "earth tones" of having been raised by a cowboy. She has the endearing beauty in self confidence and her precocious humor.
She now teaches at The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. She claims to be old but she is not old in spirit.
Her husband suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. She actually is retired from one realm only to jump into action in the “other realms” of opportunity at 78 years of age. One of which is to assist her husband's well being. We will not have heard the last from her yet.
No one is surprised that she is a breast cancer survivor. She was considered one of the most powerful women in the world, but the world doesn’t know it. Ms. O’Connor has a radiant grace and honor.
Sandra Day O'connor does not seek recognition and accolades of men.(or women) However, they are poured out upon because of the extremely intelligent and active work she continues to do. She preserves the good and filters the arcane and the “nakedly partisan reasoning.”
Her opinions reflect a modern constitutionalism with progressive tones, indicating that more work is needed to ever finish and obtain the stabilization of the future.
We are proud to claim her here in Arizona. Sandra Day O'connor is a perfect example of one who leaves Arizona, returns to stay, leaves again and returns to stay again. Arizona grows on you and within you. Come and see for yourself..
Sandra Day O'connor is genuine. She is a historical tribute to our great state of Arizona, the United States and even to the Nations of our great planet Earth.
Sandra Day O'Connor
Charlie Rose Interview
So good!
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