UPDATE: Ann Coulter, with her characteristic sarcastic wit, has a few words to day about one of the innocent, Gitmo victims: Terrorists’ Restless Leg Syndrome
I recently had one of my infrequent brushes with Alameda County Superior Court. After boring hours of sitting in the gallery listening to proceedings, I was treated to a rare moment when the judge flashed her partisan panties. The judge was explaining how the U.S. court system was different from that in most countries. In the U.S., of course, the defendant is considered innocent and the government (District Attorney in this case) has to prove that the defendant is guilty. She contrasted this to “some” unidentified countries where a person could be snatched off his farm, shackled, imprisoned and brought before a tribunal. Then the poor, uneducated, unsophisticated defendant must somehow prove that he is innocent.
Pause for effect…
“And, unfortunately, there are some people in our current government who think that this treatment is perfectly reasonable.” (read: Guantanamo)
Bada-bing, bada-boom.
This elicited several snide anti-Bush remarks among members of the gallery.
That a judge in Alameda County should be a liberal, Democrat Party shill is not surprising. That said judge would be feel emboldened enough to make such a partisan remark from the Bench is disturbing.
Everyone is to be considered innocent until proven guilty. Jurors are expected to keep open minds until they hear the facts of the case. But, the judge gets to advocate political opinions from the Bench without backing them up with evidence, without having opposing views being presented. That’s not bullying, is it? Why of course not. It’s only abusive power when a conservative judge or a Republican administration does it.
Justice is no longer blind. She’s been given a set of bionic eyes, programmed and controlled by her liberal, partisan masters.
EXTRA READING:
Judicial Activism Reconsidered, Thomas Sowell
Behind The Bias: A Drive For ‘Social Justice’, Dennis Praeger
Debate: Difference of principles on judiciary, HotAir.com
Clear and Present Danger, Weekly Standard
One of NYT’s Guantanamo Bay ‘Innocents’ Turned Suicide Bomber on Release, NewsBusters.com
Judging the Judges, American Spectator
Retractable Horns & Tail 