just to be clear i could care less about the thugs he was speaking to. they chose their path and innocent people are hurt because of it. i only care if this judge changes their life because it woill spare future people from being hurt in their next crime.
Judge Orders White People Out Of His Court
- Thread starter White Rain
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southcitymom
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LOL, Truly. I'm a recovering drug addict with a daily goal of not using anymore - I was simply pointing out that I was never able to truly "hear" a non-addict (Earth person - forgive me for using jargon that many would not understand) speak to me about my drug problems because they haven't walked in my shoes.
I'm usually to busy watching my own kids to do much babysitting.:crazy:
southcitymom
Well-Known Member
I would love to get there, , and I believe we are heading there, but I understand being somewhere else!
angelmom
The love stays...forever in our hearts
Reread your own post. He didn't kick out the white people. He kicked out the lawyers...many of whom happened to be white.
(Don't you wish you could do that some days! But I digress.)
I think he did it to have a heart-to-heart talk with them, without them feeling humiliated or "dissed" (if you will). He didn't want the reaction to be embarrassed anger, but instead for it to be thought provoking and humbling.
He might be a well-paid judge NOW, but there was a time when he was a black teenaged boy just like a lot of his defendants. I have no idea if he was poor or rich or middle class or if he came from a broken home or if his family looked like the set of the Cosby Show, but the truth is that he has been a judge in Fulton County for years (and rarely runs opposed) and has seen his share of criminals - whether they are teenaged thugs or the former mayor!
At some point, these judges who try unusual means to get through to defendants just get so tired of seeing the same people run through the system with no end in sight. It must feel like spinning your wheels, wondering if you are doing any good at all. And after you see some of the same families and names and addresses on your docket, it's a wonder the judges don't snap. I have to give them the benefit of the doubt and believe that he was trying to get through to some tough cases.
If these big bad boys who are committing crimes and going to jail can't take some straight talk from a judge, then prison is going to be pretty damn scary. So maybe they should toughen up or straighten up.
(Don't you wish you could do that some days! But I digress.)
I think he did it to have a heart-to-heart talk with them, without them feeling humiliated or "dissed" (if you will). He didn't want the reaction to be embarrassed anger, but instead for it to be thought provoking and humbling.
He might be a well-paid judge NOW, but there was a time when he was a black teenaged boy just like a lot of his defendants. I have no idea if he was poor or rich or middle class or if he came from a broken home or if his family looked like the set of the Cosby Show, but the truth is that he has been a judge in Fulton County for years (and rarely runs opposed) and has seen his share of criminals - whether they are teenaged thugs or the former mayor!
At some point, these judges who try unusual means to get through to defendants just get so tired of seeing the same people run through the system with no end in sight. It must feel like spinning your wheels, wondering if you are doing any good at all. And after you see some of the same families and names and addresses on your docket, it's a wonder the judges don't snap. I have to give them the benefit of the doubt and believe that he was trying to get through to some tough cases.
If these big bad boys who are committing crimes and going to jail can't take some straight talk from a judge, then prison is going to be pretty damn scary. So maybe they should toughen up or straighten up.
MissieMt
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I think people are reading entirely too much into this story and this mans actions. When people are criticized for TRYING to do good things they will stop doing good things......And yet we wonder why society is going down the crapper-it's because in our own eyes we can not do anything right!
Elphaba
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When this judge used the judiciary public forum (the court room) to do what he did, he took it to a personal level and made it look like a personal agenda, due to the fact that he only wanted to address the blacks before him. While his intentions were good, that was the wrong forum to do what he did... judges should never ever play a personal agenda game in an open court (mind you, I seriously doubt that was his intentions, but it can be misconstrued that way)... he should have taken it to the privacy of his chambers and dealt with it there.
I don't think the judge was being malicious or racist... I think he was just misguided in his actions. From here on out, this issue may cause him more trouble than good... any white person coming before him could use this racially inspired public action to argue that the judge is racially motivated and therefore shouldn't be the judge to handle their case.
I don't think the judge was being malicious or racist... I think he was just misguided in his actions. From here on out, this issue may cause him more trouble than good... any white person coming before him could use this racially inspired public action to argue that the judge is racially motivated and therefore shouldn't be the judge to handle their case.
kentuckybound
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LOL scm, and thanks for the explanation. Congrats on your successes! From my understanding, I believe that most of the drug and alchohol programs that work are as you describe- people who know what it's like to walk in those shoes are the ones who can really help others. And the 'Earth people' who have not been there are really not qualified. Thanks for responding to my ignorant comment with lighthearted humor.
My comment was a bit excessive. Sorry about that. Still, most of the criminals I have read about here are white men. Even though the overwhelming majority of the people in prisons are non-white. I don't actually know the reasons for that, but my guess is that wealth plays a huge factor in who has the resources to hire the best lawyers, is able to pay the fines or the bail to avoid jail, and who has the best opportunies as far as education, employment, etc., to begin with.
southcitymom
Well-Known Member
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Amen, sister! Like you, I "get" what this Judge was trying to do and it does not bother me.
Amen, sister! Like you, I "get" what this Judge was trying to do and it does not bother me.
She's a doll that way. We are "truly" blessed to have SCM here.Thanks for responding to my ignorant comment with lighthearted humor.
southcitymom
Well-Known Member
LOL scm, and thanks for the explanation. Congrats on your successes! From my understanding, I believe that most of the drug and alchohol programs that work are as you describe- people who know what it's like to walk in those shoes are the ones who can really help others. And the 'Earth people' who have not been there are really not qualified. Thanks for responding to my ignorant comment with lighthearted humor.
You're hardly ignorant, Truly. You just didn't know that about me. It's not a fact I usually "lead" with!
Yes - but what you said about Earth people (or non-addicts) and me not really being able to hear them when they speak about addiction - because of that experience, I feel like I can understand some of this Judge's motivations.
southcitymom
Well-Known Member
She's a doll that way. We are "truly" blessed to have SCM here.
Well now I'll just :blushing: :blushing: !
I'm glad Truly's jumping on the conversations - it's nice to listen to some new voices! Us old-timers are just so darned predictable.
Brefie
New Member
Absolutely agree. There is no question that this judge is racist, of course he is not. What he did, he did for the 'good'. Every intention he had was for positive change.
White Rain
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Yes addicts learn better from their own kind.
I, like you, will NOT listen to anyone who has never been an addict.
But then in this case maybe the (soon to be) prisoners would learn better from former inmates rather than someone who is the same color. This judge has probably never been to jail, so these defendants are probably saying the same thing we think: That he's never walked in their shoes.
Filly
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I'm wondering if it was considered a closed courtroom if the Judge excused some of the lawyers who most of them were white? Perhaps he just had it considering that 99.9% of the men before him were African-American. However it seems a little too late when you have all these murderers, rapists and robbers. Like White Rain had mentioned would these guys be inclined to listen to someone who is a Judge? By doing this I'm thinking the Judge just reaffirmed a sense of entitlement for these guys. Something like that might just inflame them more against their white public defenders. Just my opinion.
White Rain
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You have a point...If I see someone more educated or with a better job, am I going to listen to this person and their advice?
NO, NO, NO! B/C I WON'T understand!
What does this judge know about being a criminal NO matter WHAT color he is? Probably NOTHING!!! I am NOT saying he has never been a criminal so plz don't jump on me...he could have, BUT the odds are against it!
So I would tend to think it was more about experience THAN race!
Filly
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WR, no the Judge is not a criminal. LOL Don't think he'd be a Judge if he was. He's got an autobiography. He lead an interesting life. If it's true it was a chance encounter with the dean of Emory that led him to go to school there. He estabished a very successful minority law firm, and was one of the youngest people ever to get elected to Atlanta's city council. Closest thing he did to being criminal was supposedly threatening to get his Hank Aaron baseball bat in court. The story is here. http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1129898333540
Maybe So
The one and only
He asked the lawyers to leave so he could talk to the accused criminals.
Most of the lawyers happened to be white....he didn't ask them to leave because they were white he asked them to leave because they were the lawyers.
Mountain out of a mole hill.
Most of the lawyers happened to be white....he didn't ask them to leave because they were white he asked them to leave because they were the lawyers.
Mountain out of a mole hill.
Blondieskatz
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I agree with you. But, on the other hand if this had been a white judge that had asked black lawyers to leave everyone would be screaming discrimination!