Judge Ye Not

It seems unclear to the American people what a judge really does, or so says one Supreme Court Justice. To me the function of a judge is clear. Most people probably think a judge is a highly intelligent and educated lawyer who can listen, determine, and legislate wisdom in many situations in life that need mediation. Not so says this justice. Judges are clear in their message, as represented by Judge Alito in his confirmation hearings, that they are simply litigators that have been elected or appointed to oversee court proceedings. They, in conjunction with an "impartial" jury of your peers, decide according to our laws the outcome of a dispute. Disputes can vary widely in nature. They can be criminal proceedings. They can be civil disputes. These judges can and also should determine the constitutionality of our laws. That right is being threatened says ex-justice Sandra Day O'Conner. Not only is their function being disputed, but also their lives are being threatened. It seems our U.S. Congress and some states are strong-arming the Supreme Court into supporting their agendas. If they pass down rulings that disagree with the current regime in our federal government, then the justices face repercussions. Some states have even suggested jail terms for judges that fail to produce a "fair" outcome. Judges are afraid maybe for the first time ever in the United States. With the omni-present threat of Al Kaida, the nation as a whole probably is experiencing a similar fear that makes the quality of life in the "free" United States of America seem not-so-free. It is a difficult issue. While gut-wrenching social and civil events give America her soul, how long should people cling to these notions of strife and oppression? African Americans have been carrying the torch of slavery for decades. Certainly the words and deeds of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King are a part of the soul of our country. Likewise the mass sacrifices of human life in the Civil War should be part of our soul. In the case of 9/11 how long should Americans bristle at the thought of Arab extremists carrying out terrorist acts? Certainly that has become part of our soul also, but we as a country are struggling with how to accommodate that uncertain future and an unsavory recent past. We should be angry as a nation at an assault on our hard-working people on our native soil, yet it was inevitable that would finally happen. Pearl Harbor, a Japanese attack on our state of Hawaii marking the beginning of World War ll, was probably distant to some because it occurred in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Is it easier to accommodate a terrorist attack by a disgruntled American extremist over a well-funded Arab one? I think is it difficult to discern a difference between one selfish, vengeful, murderous act and another. What matter is it of the reason? Innocent Americans die on their native soil. It is of no consequence that Allah, Jody Foster, or world domination are the motivation. We must just accept that war in our current sphere of existence is no longer traditional in a sense that we know exactly what it is. It is dark, murky, and elusive like a Sony Playstation game. It seems more evil this way because boundaries are not clearly visible. Knowing your enemy has become more difficult in the route to victory. The president of Pakistan on Charlie Rose outlined the process of solving some of our problems. He suggested understanding 'core' issues was critical. Simply in the case of the War on Terror, alienated, educated, Arab men are angry at the infidels for invading their homeland. It seems they will not be happy until we are gone. In terms of the war raging in our government, how should we respond to this assault on our sensibilities? When the line becomes blurred in our own system of government, and good and evil are not being upheld in our federal government, how are we to proceed? When the system of "Checks and Balances" is being intimidated much like the everyday people in America, how do we mend it? Voting in the November election seems key. Ousting the parties that are responsible for such acts is crucial to our survival as a healthy nation. No longer can we stand the pressures of a corrupt and dishonest government with no regard for the American people. We have been failed by our own system, and it is taking a toll on our health.