May 9

ANOTHER ROUND OF CRUELTY AS THE OUT OF BOUND SUPREMES TACKLE ROE V. WADE 

The US Supreme Court found its long tradition of privacy and independence bashed this week with Judge Thomas Alito’s leaked draft of what appears to be the court’s decision to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling. From the outset it appears that the conservative majority will plow ahead with their preconceived notions about removing the constitutional right for a woman’s access to abortion services – in other words, “not my problem, don’t care.” Stripping away this right leaves other rights that the justices find personally distasteful in jeopardy. In her portrayal of Justice Amy Coney Barrett on NBC’s Saturday Night Live Update, Kate McKinnon advises women to “do your nine months and leave the baby in a basket on the sidewalk, or give it to a stork who will give it to a lesbian – it will make lesbians very happy…until we take that freedom away, too!”

Protesters, as well as court supporters, converged on the Supreme Court building, which resulted in installation of a chain link fence to hold back the crowds, and maybe to keep the noise level down as they debate their next deplorable decision. It hearkens back to a previous court decision when a law affording a thirty foot perimeter around abortion clinics was reversed, in the “interests of free speech” for the anti-abortionists. Luckily, no free-speecher leftovers from January 6 breached this fence. 

As criticisms and protests reached a crescendo, Chief Justice John Roberts, vowed to have the leaker of the draft brought to justice, the question being whether it is in reality a crime to have released the 100 pages. Roberts has always said, “We don’t have Clinton judges, Bush judges, Obama judges or Trump judges, but an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them.” That claim falls flat considering that those who unquestionably voted to overturn Roe, are Clarence Thomas (George H.W. Bush); Samuel Alito (George W. Bush); Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett (Donald Trump) – the last four appointed by presidents who were elected by the Electoral College, not the electorate’s popular vote count. These minority government appointees ignore the will of the people, polling indicating a two-to-one margin in favor of keeping Roe. No respect for 21st Century public opinion evidenced, and no indication given as to the Chief’s vote; but it appears he has totally lost control of his leadership role in guiding the court, and keeping politics at bay – ‘stare decisis‘ be damned! Stare decisis, a Latin phrase meaning “to stand by things (previously) decided,” refers to the legal doctrine of judicial precedent – that previous legal rulings should subsequently govern future rulings on the same or similar legal issues, at least by lower courts. Brett Kavanaugh will long be remembered in using ‘stare decisis‘ in his answers to questions pertaining to Roe v. Wade before the committee determining his qualification for the high court. 

In 1987, during his hearings after being nominated for the Supreme Court, Robert Bork divulged his true feelings about Roe, and subsequently was deemed to be too extreme to be elevated to the body. A lesson was learned, and in true conservative fashion, all those who followed him with nominations, skirted the issue with lies and deceit, resulting in the current court majority leaning toward forced motherhood, which is akin to slavery. There was no debate, no soul-searching, no compassion or consideration of the aftermath – the die was cast well before those committee hearings. In today’s society, the average age of new mothers is around thirty years old, pointing to the value of being able to plan and establish a career, perhaps, or to solidify an individual’s, or a family’s, stability. Imagine the outcome, the future, of a twelve year old rape victim being forced to carry a child to term – ugly! Eve Ensler commented, “To all those who dare rob us of our bodily choice, I ask you: what is it about our bodies that makes you so afraid, so insecure, so cruel and punishing?”

Justice Alito, in his leaked draft, makes a weak attempt to bolster the ‘justice’ in his opinion by referring to 17th century England, where he references Sir Edward Cook, who declares abortion a crime. What Alito missed, or failed to mention, was Cook’s belief in witches – women doing the ‘Devil’s Magic‘ – and putting them on trial, murdering them under state rule for conferencing with Satan! In the late 1600s, in Puritan New England, over 200 witches were put on trial, with 20 being twice convicted, then executed – assuredly the other 190 or so led a wonderful life after serving one year in prison, and having only one conviction on their record. Eventually, the colonials admitted their mistakes, compensating the families of the slain ‘witches,’ but, Lucifer seems to be applying his wiles again in the halls of D.C., and from past history we can see where Alito and his cohorts are slowly taking us. The plantations and reservations are gaining new adherents within this bunch, now that they have invaded our privacy in making our own decisions, while demanding their own freedom from interference! Headline: Unelected bureaucrats with job security strike again.

So, what is it we Americans now trust in government? The Presidency? Not by a long shot, nor do we trust in the way our leader is chosen! The Congress? What have they done for you lately? Backstabbing and name calling seem to be the only activity evident to us. The once highly-respected courts? Ditto, ditto, ditto! The functioning of democracy seems to have lost its way, perhaps burdened by the myths that have been forced upon the populace by tradition, big business and organized religion – all of which hold abysmal views of how democracy should work. Justice Clarence Thomas lightly attempted to address this dilemma speaking at the 11th Circuit Judicial Conference in Atlanta this past week by saying, “Society is becoming addicted to wanting specific outcomes, and not living with outcomes we don’t like.” He didn’t mention ‘the leak’, only subtly referencing it. Did he also intend to reference, in ‘not living with outcomes we don’t like’, the conservatives living with the 1973 decision embracing Roe v. Wade“? Stare decisis to you too, Judge! Worrying that young people don’t respect the law as they did in past generations couldn’t have been a dig at his wife, Ginni, who tried to overthrow the government during the J-6 insurrection, could it? Ginni’s many emails to Trump Chief of Staff Meadows encouraging him to ‘stand firm’ and ‘don’t concede’ and ‘it takes time for the army to gather’, admonitions which were struck down by the high court for release along with other communications sought by the House J-6 Commission. The Pew Research Center found that the adults holding favorable views of the court declined from 69% to 54% in the period of August 2019 to January 2022, about which a representative of the Supreme Court had no comment. Ethics concerns? How about a Code of Conduct? Nah, too late for such nonsense… the Ginni is out of the bottle. 

It’s been suggested that a liberal clerk of one of the justices released Alito’s draft decision, a clerk of Justice Sotomayor‘s, perhaps? But, why not Chief Justice Roberts, who has grown tired and disillusioned by this out of control body of escapees from the 17th century time-machine? What has he got to lose in the face of complete embarrassment and loss of reputation after these robed pimples in the temple have been popped? Even Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins feel they have been misled by the seated justices, but after a couple of beers they’ll probably believe anyone – not mentioning Brett Kavanaugh per se! It’s a long way from Bush v. Gore, but the devil was whispering in ears way back then! And, he continued to whisper into Prez Cheeto Benito‘s ear, telling him the court was a weapon and to use it to his advantage, with the Orange Menace saying the quiet parts out loud! He told us what he was doing all along, through two impeachments, and he followed through! Our BAD!

A quote falsely attributed to novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky has been making the rounds for some time now –  “Tolerance will reach such a level that intelligent people will be banned from thinking so as not to offend the imbeciles.” Heavy stuff! Finally, it has been traced to the source in Philadelphia. The quote was overheard from Ted ‘Dusty’ Yevskii, of Four Seasons Total Landscaping, in talking to curious employees of the neighboring sex shop and the crematorium, following Rudy Giuliani‘s press conference in November 2020 at that facility. Asked to comment on his words, ‘Dusty’ replied, “Maybe later…I gotta go water this new shipment of zinnias.”