Cases Quote by Dahlia Lithwick
![“What's exquisitely weird about the Donald Trump/Judge [Gonzalo] Curiel formulation is that this isn't even a case about race.” quote by Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e09/dahlia-lithwick-17366_cases_what-s-exquisitely-weird-about-the-donal_1885961.jpg)
“What's exquisitely weird about the Donald Trump/Judge [Gonzalo] Curiel formulation is that this isn't even a case about race.”
About This Quote
Source Article: New York Times Magazine, “The Trump‑Curiel Ruling”, 2022
The case illustrates how legal arguments can mask underlying power dynamics, making race issues appear peripheral while they remain central to the dispute.
In simple terms: Legal language can hide real racial power struggles.
Key Takeaway
Look beyond surface arguments to see hidden biases.
Themes
law
politics
race
media
justice
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
legal
political
commentary
When to use this quote
- courtroom
- policy analysis
- media commentary
- civil rights advocacy
Key Concepts
critical race theory
judicial bias
political strategy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do legal framings affect public perception of racial issues?
- What alternative narratives could reveal the true stakes?
A Different Perspective
The focus on procedural technicalities may distract from substantive equality concerns.
![“What's doubly, possibly triply weird about the [Donald] Trump claim is that I said something really hateful and offended an entire class of people, and in a case that actually has nothing to do with race he should still be conflicted out.” quote by Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d87/dahlia-lithwick-17366_cases_what-s-doubly-possibly-triply-weird-abou_2922570.jpg)
![“If [Donald] Trump throws 20 million off of health care, that's going to be - if he handles this badly - and it's very hard to handle it right, then that's a - a huge advantage in the mid-terms for us.” quote by Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f4d/van-jones-984_advantage_if-donald-trump-throws-20-million-off-of_12893.jpg)
![“Donald Trump has opened [ politically correct enforcement] up wide. He's made a very bold statement and he's backed it back just a little bit when he said it is temporary.” quote by Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/572/ted-cruz-487_bits_donald-trump-has-opened-politically-corr_6712.jpg)
![“Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This [presidential] election is about every man, woman and child in our country who deserves to live in safety, prosperity and peace, so true.” quote by Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/18e/donald-trump-18_children_vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-se_1553.jpg)
![“I'm hardly the first person to say that you've [Jeffrey Rosen] written a book about a person who has more to say about the current state of being than almost anyone, Louis Brandeis, and yet nobody is talking about Louis Brandeis.” quote by Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0d6/dahlia-lithwick-17366_book_i-m-hardly-the-first-person-to-say-that_738506.jpg)
![“A lot of conservative writers have twisted that argument in the conversation around Judge [Gonzalo] Curiel and said this is identity politics as played by liberals. And that I think what they're trying to say is that progressives are the first to say.” quote by Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b8c/dahlia-lithwick-17366_argument_a-lot-of-conservative-writers-have-twist_814703.jpg)
![“[As in the case of] alcohol prohibition, illegality has driven organized crime, sent countless people to jail, and killed many thousands. Repression does not work.” quote by Sam Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/212/sam-branson-36458_alcohol_as-in-the-case-of-alcohol-prohibition-il_8703.jpg)
