If Black Lives Matter—Where Ya Been?

Part Two

In my introductory video I said I’m a political centrist but not a moderate. When it comes to packing our federal courts with extremist right-wing judges, I’m definitely not a moderate.

I would argue one of the biggest news stories of our time is the under-reported effort to deeply politicize the judiciary—an entire branch of the government.

Authoritarian right-wing zealots are full-tilt, full-bore, all-in on court packing. They want states’ rights/white rights/corporate rights judges on every federal bench in the land. It’s impossible to overstate or exaggerate what this means for the rights and freedom for all Americans, but blacks in particular.

It means corporate polluters will enjoy legal rulings allowing them to poison the planet and destroy the environment in pursuit of profits.
It means labor faces an uphill battle in any case that comes before these states’ rights/corporate rights judges.
It means gay, lesbian and transgender cases will likely land in front of a hostile judge or panel of judges.
It means there are more judges eager to make history with a decision that paves the way for the elimination of the historic Roe v. Wade case on abortions.
And it means states’ rights will increasingly roll back civil rights, particularly in voter suppression cases.

Blacks, black lamb, meekness, passivity, court-packing — America’s blacks have been like passive lambs in the face of relentess packing of federal courts with extremist Right-Wing judges who may roll back civil rights laws in judicial rulings in years to come. Right-Wing conservatives are waging a campaign to pack the federal courts with ultra-conservative judges. Blacks have not organized any significant opposition to the plan. (Image: eliza28diamonds-Pixabay

Yet, the silence has been deafening from the lambs who are about to be slaughtered. If Black Lives Matter, where ya been?

People who like to talk about being “woke” show no evidence they are aware of the court-packing assault on civil rights happening right under their noses.

If they were aware, there would be protests and pressure to stop it. In terms of the laws we live by, long-term it will have a devastating effect on black lives. If Black Lives Matter, where ya been?

The President’s Idea of a Fine Legal Mind

Federal judges, Trump, nominations, White House, announcement — The President, at a White House ceremony last November, announced he has made 150 judicial nominations since taking office. One in every four federal appeals court judges is now one of his appointments. (Image: White House)

The President, who wouldn’t know a writ of habeas corpus if it grabbed him by the gonads, maintains these right-wing legal hacks are going to make our federal courts great, just like he’s going to Make American Great Again.

Compare the nomination hearing in 2017 for Matthew Petersen, with the President’s praise for the people he nominates to federal judgeships. Petersen served for 11 years as a member of the Federal Election Commission. He’s being questioned by Senator John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican.

President: “These distinguished men and women…

Hearing: Q: Have you ever tried a jury trial?

A: I have not.

President: “…are some of the most gifted scholars…”

Q: Civil?

A: No

Q: Criminal?

A: No.

Q: Bench?

A: No

President: “…respected jurists and finest legal minds ever placed on the federal bench.”

Q: State or federal court?

A: I have not.

The Powerful and Influential Are Doing Nothing

Federal judgeships begin in the Senate Judiciary Committee. It’s controlled by Mitch McConnell and the Republicans.

Among the Democrat minority members is former prosecutor and presidential-wannabe Kamala Harris. She’s watched the courts getting packed by the Right-Wing week after week, month after month. Senator Harris, if Black lives matter, where ya been?

Another member of the judiciary committee is another presidential-wannabe: Cory Booker. Senator Booker, you’ve watched the courts getting packed week after week, month after month. If Black lives matter, where ya been?

Then there’s presidential hopeful Amy Klobuchar. Apparently, she’s too busy throwing briefing books and telephones at her staff in temper tantrums and snit fits to propose an effective way to thwart Right-Wing court packing. Amy Klobuchar, if Black lives matter, where ya been?

Robert Barnes is the Supreme Court reporter for the Washington Post: “It’s always been that Republicans, for some reason, care more about the courts than Democrats do.”

Why is that? Why are Democrats letting Republicans subvert the rule of law in America by tilting it to the right through judgeships?

Obama, judicial nominations, White House, Oval Office, court-packing — President Barack Obama, shown in the Oval Office, was frequently blocked from appointing federal judges by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as part of a strategy to re-make the federal judiciary as a stronghold of Right-Wing governing through court rulings. (Image: White House)

Barack Obama sometimes goes to ridiculous lengths to avoid being seen as an angry black man. But he’s a lawyer. He knows what court packing means. If Black Lives Matter, where ya been?

The same goes for Michelle Obama, a beloved American of any race or gender. If Black Lives Matter, where ya been?

Another black cultural icon is Oprah Winfrey. If anyone has a bully pulpit, it’s her. Oprah Winfrey, if Black Lives Matter, where ya been?

Where is Al Sharpton in all of this? Court-packing began after you hit the media big-time. If Black Lives Matter, where ya been?

No Inspiration from Tinseltown

Then there’s Hollywood, which has powerful influence over our culture and our politics.

The 1942 film Casablanca has become iconic for its portrayal of American idealism in the face of mounting tyranny.

So why haven’t Spike Lee, Ryan Coogler, Tyler Perry or Ava DuVernay pushed for a film depicting the rising right-wing menace to civil rights? If Black Lives Matter, where ya been?

What about Whoopi Goldberg, Sonny Hostin and Don Lemon? I know you know about the rising menace of right-wing court packing. Why aren’t you advocating black political action? If Black Lives Matter, where ya been?

Jamelle Bouie, as a columnist for the New York Times has a powerful soapbox. He’s written about the courts, of course, but why hasn’t he made a crusade out of stopping court-packing? If Black Lives Matter, where ya been?

Coates, Ta-Nehisi Coates, reparations, congressional testimony — Ta-Nehisi Coates, an author, journalist and black activist testified before Congress in favor of a massive program of “reparations.” It is a proposal to pay American blacks for the slavery inflicted on their ancestors.

Then there’s Ta Nehisi Coates, who seems to fancy himself the voice of blacks for his generation. He advocates massive payments to blacks by whites as reparations for past slavery.

He has cited Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for specific criticism. McConnell is, of course, the commanding general of the right-wing court-packing army.

In his Congressional testimony in favor of reparations, Coates didn’t once mention the courts, which are now becoming ultra-conservative.

Does this guy really believe that a right-wing court system is going to uphold the legality, the constitutionality, of reparations for long-ago slavery? To quote an old street term, I think Coates is selling wolf tickets. When it comes to court packing, Ta Nehisi Coates, if Black Lives Matter, where ya been?

As a lifelong white guy, I admit—I don’t understand what it means to be black—any more than blacks understand what it’s like to be white. That’s a circular, useless argument.

I’m starting to wonder about Black History Month. If you’re black, what do you say to yourself about letting the bloody and deadly civil rights gains of the past get eroded in our courts?

Why are you sitting on your rear-end while the President and Mitch McConnell install federal judges who may be sympathetic to those who hope for Apartheid in America?

Why aren’t you part of a national campaign to defeat Mitch McConnell in 2020? And the President?

Right-wing court packing is going to impact black rights for decades. If Black Lives Matter, Where Ya Been?