The shootings and killing of Stephen Jones at the Holocaust Museum last week remind us that racism is still very much alive and well in our society. We need to be reminded of this ugly fact. There is still much work we need to do. While there have been advances, hate and racism of Jews, African Americans, Hispanics, gays and lesbians, other ethnicities and religions still exist. We have not yet overcome. We place so much emphasis on foreign terrorists and their hate against Americans. We forget sometimes the enemy also lives within us. Remember Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma bombings? We need to open up the dialogue of racism and hate in this country. It was opened briefly during the Primary Presidential election with the comments of Rev. Jeremiah Wright. President Obama tried to open up the discussion during the primary election. Sadly, it was a one sided discussion with much emphasis opposed to the comments of Rev. Wright. There are those who are quick to call racist … [Read more...] about Holocaust and Hate
Archives for June 2009
Supreme Court and Bias on the Bench
It never ceases to amaze me the cases that end up before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled this week that a West VA judge who received $ 3 million from his highest campaign donor cannot rule on a $50 million case involving the donor. It should have been a no brainer for the judge to recuse himself from any case involving that donor. Why that case ended up at the Supreme Court shows the utter lack of integrity on the part of the judge. Presiding over the donor's case where the donor had $50 million at stake was incredulous. This could have been in a John Grisham novel. Yes, I always say fact is sometimes stranger than fiction. Many argue that judges should not be elected. Yet the judicial election system should not be scrapped. Here’s why there is a need for state judges to be elected. First, the old boy system is still hard at work in America. Many highly competent and qualified minorities are never able to ascend to the bench without running in judicial elections. Some … [Read more...] about Supreme Court and Bias on the Bench
Chrysler’s Deal- Does it bend,break or change the law?
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg delayed the Chrysler deal this week. A pension fund group, consumer protection groups and others claim the Chrysler deal violates the Constitution, federal bankruptcy laws and ignores previous bankruptcy decisions. The Obama administration says the Chrysler bailout and protection of our auto industry is crucial to our economy. In forging the Chrysler deal, President Obama is trying to prevent an economic tsunami. We are living in turbulent economic times. Desperate times require desperate measures. Isn’t that what the Bush Administration said about housing prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. The Bush administration argued our national security demanded new ways of dealing with enemy combatants. So we arrested them, locked them up at Guantanamo and threw away the keys without holding any trials. This was done in the name of national security. Desperate times require desperate measures. Is changing the laws to prevent an economic tsunami any … [Read more...] about Chrysler’s Deal- Does it bend,break or change the law?
Paper Or Plastic?
The D.C. City Council placed the District at the forefront of nationwide efforts to go green. This week, they voted to tax consumers five cents per plastic and paper bags at grocery stores and other food outlets. What were they thinking? This measure places consumer concerns at the bottom of the bag. Don't get me wrong. I am all for going green. Yet, I question the timing and validity of the tax. Timing is everything. Is this tax necessary? In an economic climate of lay-offs, cut-backs and setbacks, is now the time to impose this tax? Consumers are already feeling the pinch. Five cents per bag does not appear costly. Yet, if you are barely getting by or struggling to feed your family, every 5-cents counts. Other cities chose to forego similar laws for now due to the economic times. New York city placed its bag law on the ballot to let voters decide. D.C.'s measure is designed to prevent pollution and clean up the polluted Anacostia River. The legislation is named the … [Read more...] about Paper Or Plastic?
My Top 10 Judge Sotomayor Musings
I read the papers to glean comments on Judge Sotomayor's nomination. I list here my top ten musings on why she should not be confirmed. I found these comments funny, sad, pathetic, offensive and outrageous at the same time. 1. Judge Sotmayor is too Catholic. There are already enough Catholics on the Supreme Court. Five of the nine Justices are apparently Catholic according to reports. Do we need one more? 2. Judge Sotomayor is not Catholic enough. Apparently, she does not attend church as regularly as some think she should attend. She attends for special occasions and family events. 3. Being Catholic should disqualify her. Some are worried about her being Catholic as she might overturn Roe v. Wade. 4. She's just not smart enough according to former Bush advisor Karl Rove. I guess her Yale Law School and Princeton University undergraduate degrees are not intellectual enough for Karl Rove. 5. She's a Latino KKK according to former Congressman Tom Tancredo (R. Colo). … [Read more...] about My Top 10 Judge Sotomayor Musings