Judicial bashing

Mixing politics with religion, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist participated in an right-wing telecast April 24 to bash the judiciary and push for an elimination of the filibuster in the U.S. Senate.
The event, called "Justice Sunday," drummed up right-wing Christian support for Frist's "nuclear option" and denounced Democrats as being "against people of faith" for not rubber-stamping Bush's most conservative judicial nominees. The event was a blatant use of religion to further a partisan political agenda.
Radical Republicans like Frist are frustrated that Democrats won't let them make the judiciary an arm of the Republican party. An April 24 New York Times editorial put it this way, "Senate majority leader, Bill Frist, and the House majority leader, Tom DeLay, are vastly overreaching any plausible electoral mandate in their quest for one-party control of every aspect of government and their demands for mute party fealty."
Though Republicans claim Dems aren't playing fair, the truth is that most of Bush's judicial nominees have been confirmed. But Democrats, showing some much-needed back bone, drew the line at the most extreme. The seven judges currently in question have all been previously rejected by Democrats for being ultra-conservative and don't deserve lifetime appointments.
Take Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen, who even Alberto Gonzales once accused of judicial activism over her radical reading of state abortion law.
Another nominee being championed by the right is Janice Rogers Brown. According to 365Gay.com, "In 2003, Brown was the only justice on the California Supreme Court to rule against recognizing the right of gay Californians to legally adopt their children. Brown argued that allowing a gay parent to legally adopt the biological child of their partner 'trivializes family bonds.'"
And then there's William Pryor who Lambda Legal calls "the most demonstrably antigay judicial nominee in recent memory."
Though Frist and the right-wing leaders at the "Justice Sunday" wrath fest rail against "activist judges," activist judges like Owen and Pryor are exactly what they want so they can outlaw abortion, prevent the specter of "gay marriage," get prayer back into schools, and keep people on life support against their wills. And that's just their spring cleaning list.
Frist's participation in "Justice Sunday" blurs the line between Church and state and lacks good taste. Not that a man who used to "adopt" cats from the humane society and then dissect them as a young med student is worried about appearing tasteful. This is the same man who appeared on national television and said "I don't know" in answer to a question about whether HIV could be transmitted through tears and sweat. It can't and Frist, an M.D., knows that. But Republicans aren't shy lately about tossing around false medical information to suit the radical right agenda.
But Frist's pandering to the right, along with corrupt pal Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas), is increasing and they've got their sights on those evil liberal judges who want to make everyone gay marry and get abortions.
The right's wrath against the judiciary is particularly frightening given the underlying threat of violence against judges who dare to disagree with them. One hardly has to look far to connect the radical right with violence against abortion providers or gay people (Eric Rudolph, anyone?) and many fear judges will be next.
Even judges themselves are getting spooked. According to Frank Rich in the April 24 New York Times, a Newsweek report revealed that the Supreme Court is asking Congress for money for more police protection and the Judicial Conference of the United States is asking for funds to provide judges home-security systems.
Frist wants an America where the judicial bench is packed with ultra-conservatives and every other judge makes decisions based on fear for their safety and the safety of their families if they don't toe the radical party line. This is not the kind of America we imagine most folks want to live in.
It kind of makes you wonder what Frist meant when he was quoted April 5 by Reuters as saying, "I believe we have a fair and independent judiciary today….I respect that."
Many progressive groups, like People for the American Way and Move On, are working against the right's attempt to stack the courts and Frist's attempt to muzzle Democrats who oppose him. Meanwhile, contact your Senators and tell them you oppose Frist's nuclear option and urge them to oppose lifetime appointments for ultra-conservative judges.