why John is better than Janice

After last night's nomination of John Roberts to fill the eighth seat on the Supreme Court, I admit I was disappointed it wasn't a woman. Then I got to thinking about it, and I was relieved it wasn't a woman.

Politically, I'd much prefer Janice Rogers Brown to John Roberts, Sandra Day O'Connor to them, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg or Stephen Breyer to all three. But in terms of women's rights (the ugly and all-important Roe vs. Wade precedent aside), I don't want O'Connor's seat on the bench to be known as "the woman's seat." Sadly, that's exactly how Ronald Reagan got her there in the first place.

Appointing another woman to fill her place could, at worst, send the message that the U.S. can wait until that woman retires before needing to appoint another. The Supreme Court shouldn't have a quota; it should have equality.

Obviously, the next Chief Justice should be a woman.