John Conyers is very far from being my favorite Congressman, but he said what needs to be said: the words of Rep. DeLay and Sen. Cornyn regarding "activist judges" are reprehensible, especially coming from public officials.
'Tis a sad fact that in every court battle, *one* side will be angry, feel wronged, or feel the judge was biased (if a bench trial) or the jury was packed with idiots.
People forget that a judge makes decisions based on the statutes and common law. The judge generally doesn't make rulings that go against the prevailing law. If he does, his decision most likely will be appealed by judges who are ruling on the law only, not on the admitted facts of the case from the trial.
It is unconscionable to make comments that could lead wackos to deadly action against judges, feeling that the results are justified by such comments.
and it's not the but that sometimes goes with "--but sometimes it's okay to kill them" Faugh!
It's the "but" with how judges make decisions, since a good many of them, more and more often, feel empowered to make decisions along the lines of "what we feel is right" or "how the law ought to be."
So a congressman's comments (haven't read 'em myself and I never trust a media report I haven't verified, these days) to the effect that "sometimes they needed killin'" is doubly egregious: First by encouraging lawless murder, and second (and IMO more importantly) by abandoning his constitutionally mandated duty: To impeach the S.O.B.s!
no subject
Date: 2005-04-05 06:08 pm (UTC)People forget that a judge makes decisions based on the statutes and common law. The judge generally doesn't make rulings that go against the prevailing law. If he does, his decision most likely will be appealed by judges who are ruling on the law only, not on the admitted facts of the case from the trial.
It is unconscionable to make comments that could lead wackos to deadly action against judges, feeling that the results are justified by such comments.
Thanks for posting that.
I agree with you but--
Date: 2005-04-06 11:11 pm (UTC)It's the "but" with how judges make decisions, since a good many of them, more and more often, feel empowered to make decisions along the lines of "what we feel is right" or "how the law ought to be."
So a congressman's comments (haven't read 'em myself and I never trust a media report I haven't verified, these days) to the effect that "sometimes they needed killin'" is doubly egregious: First by encouraging lawless murder, and second (and IMO more importantly) by abandoning his constitutionally mandated duty: To impeach the S.O.B.s!