In Search Of Lady Justice
From the Florida panhandle on Monday, to Oklahoma City (sing along everyone, …”Ooooooooklahoma where the wind comes sweeping down the yada yada yada”), to Columbus, Ohio on Friday, I like to think I’m making the mark of Zorro, backwards, across the map. This trip has been made a bit more enjoyable thanks to the patient smarts of my son Ben, who figured out how to tether my smart phone to a lap top. The benefits are many. I can now write on a regular keyboard, which is much less tedious than Droid’s virtual keyboard (I’m all thumbs on that thing). Also, posting to Ricochet just got easier as well (don’t say you weren’t warned).
A quick perusal of the morning’s news brought these nuggets: An Olympian Council on The Mountain top ... um … I mean an appeals court in California ... has hurled another thunderbolt at us lesser mortals, ruling that the law making it a crime to falsely claim that one has received US military medals is unconstitutional. Specifically, Xavier Alvarez, of Pamona, CA, who falsely claimed to be a Medal of Honor recipient, was within his First Amendment right to lie. Stolen valor is now an accepted and perfectly legal form of speech. To those who earned our nation's medals through real valor, who carry the physical and mental scars to this day, or to whom the medals were awarded posthumously, the court extends the back of its royal hand.
In other news, the Justice Department is threatening to sue Sheriff Joe Arpaio, down in Maricopa County, AZ. The Sheriff has displayed brazen disregard for authority by actually enforcing laws, including those against trespassing illegally in America. His actions cannot be allowed to stand, of course, as yet another court recently hurled its own thunderbolt, finding that the enforcement of federal immigration law is also unconstitutional. (As an aside, has anyone bothered to ask why, if illegals can trespass across citizens’ property in Arizona, we aren’t allowed to trespass across the barricades onto the White House lawn?)
And of course, we have the recent thunderbolt on marriage, which found that the institution as understood by the Founders, as understood for thousands of years, is also unconstitutional. Thus do these little gaggles of ostensibly wise men and women, untethered to reality and unrestrained by the Constitution they swore to uphold, continue to show contempt for the citizens, the laws, and the foundations of this country. Some of them can be held accountable in elections. Many of them cannot, and they know it. Meanwhile, Lady Justice is still on extended holiday. Perhaps I will see her at a truck stop down the road somewhere, since the folks in those establishments tend to have a better sense of justice than all our best legal minds combined. Bill Buckley had it exactly right about the names in the phone book.
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Jun '10
Re: In Search Of Lady Justice
Too bad I don't drink. All I'd need is a fake Medal of Honor, and I'd never have to pay for another beer at a bar as long as I live. Could get beaten up if I get caught, but no fear of legal consequences anymore. But somehow, "I'll take a ginger ale with ice" doesn't work quite as well for the brave veteran act.
May '10
Re: In Search Of Lady Justice
We are at an interesting crossroad. if we have a Republican tsunami Nov. 2 and elected reps begin to unwind credibly the current insanity, wonderful. If not we go third party and show Italy how its done.
Hopefully we will come to our senses but people will not stand for a continued barrage on our most cherished values.
May '10
Re: In Search Of Lady Justice
I read that Sheriff Arpaio is accused of racial profiling, but he's being investigated for intimidation of political opponents and misappropriation of government funds. Law is a cudgel in the hands of politicians and regulators.
As for trespassing, the "public" in "public property" doesn't actually refer to citizens. Anyone who lives by a forest (and I don't mean a refuge, park or anything marked on a map) knows you can only wander the woods if the police choose to not to enforce trespassing laws. In fact, the same can be said for a city street. A homeless person has no legal right to sleep anywhere unless invited.
Hopefully, those California decisions will be overturned in time.
May '10
Re: In Search Of Lady Justice
What's so insulting about the decision is the court's acceptance that the misrepresentations caused no harm. Because, you know, the idea that these medals symbolize a sacrifice for which we should all be grateful -- that doesn't really have any value, at least nothing that's diminished by letting any lying crackpot wear them around.
Re: In Search Of Lady Justice
I assume that impersonating an officer, or various other officials is now a First Amendment right? We have officials in high office impersonating deities, so why not?
Jun '10
Re: In Search Of Lady Justice
Dave are you saying God would have done what Barak Obama did if only God had had the money? Where does the court stand on God impersonating the president? My guess is that if God were the president, He wouldn't be anywhere near as smug as Obama. The only question left: Would God use a teleprompter? Knowing Helen Thomas, if God held a press confrence at the White House, she'd tell Him to get the Hell out of the Holy Land, all the while insisting that Jesus was only an anchor baby, so I suppose I shouldn't carry this on much further. Still, wouldn't it be a hoot to see the New York Times editorializing about how God didn't have a mandate to govern or that his transcript wasn't up to Ive League standards.
Re: In Search Of Lady Justice
Cas, among the many differences between God and Barak Obama, is that God doesn't think He is Barak Obama.
May '10
Re: In Search Of Lady Justice
"who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man", whereas President Obama ...