May 24, 2005
Free Speech....unless it pertains to a Judge
Seems that Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow wants to have legislation enacted banning what she calls ""truly dangerous" verbal attacks on judges that might lead to violent action."
Judge Lefkow, welcome to the world of the average citizen. How many times have ordinary citizens tried to bring their verbal tormentors to court, only to be told that "free speech is a valid defense" for the defendant? And how many times has the verbal torment escalated into physical violence? Why should Judges receive any different treatment?
Free speech for all entails some personal responsibility. Making Judges a separate class is not the answer. There are already laws against "incendiary speech", let them live under those as all the rest of us do.
Federal Judges already have special protection by the US Marshalls Service, and I don't begrudge them that. It's in the nature of their profession that they will receive more (and more likely real) threats against their persons and that of their familes, and they do deserve that protection. But when it comes to singleing out speech against one segment of the population for special protection.....IF the Congress does enact such legislation, we may as well start deciding who the Glorious Leader will be....we will no longer be a Republic in any case.
Hat tip to DK for the heads up!
Ain't she special? Judges live in an insular world surrounded by their own, it must come as a jolt to their senses that they are mortal too, it's sad that her family paid the price, but it's no excuse to write a law forbidding constitutional guarantees. I suspect the Honorable judge is a mamber of the ACLU, to have come up with an idea like that, if so, boot her ass out.
Posted by: Jack at May 24, 2005 01:52 AM