JUSTICE BUILDING BLOG

WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL RICHARD E GERSTEIN JUSTICE BUILDING BLOG. THIS BLOG IS DEDICATED TO JUSTICE BUILDING RUMOR, HUMOR, AND A DISCUSSION ABOUT AND BETWEEN THE JUDGES, LAWYERS AND THE DEDICATED SUPPORT STAFF, CLERKS, COURT REPORTERS, AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS WHO LABOR IN THE WORLD OF MIAMI'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE. POST YOUR COMMENTS, OR SEND RUMPOLE A PRIVATE EMAIL AT HOWARDROARK21@GMAIL.COM. Winner of the prestigious Cushing Left Anterior Descending Artery Award.

Saturday, February 10, 2007

A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME

It is with great trepidation that we re-open this topic. But more needs to be said.

Percy L. Julian was one of the great chemists of the 20th Century.

His work included discoveries in the synthesis of cortisone (an anti inflammatory still in wide spread use) and the synthesis of physostigmine, a glaucoma drug. In 1999 the American Chemical Society recognized his work on physostigmine as one of the top 25 achievements in the history of American chemistry. He was the first African-American chemist ever elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

From the NY Times article on the NOVA- PBS show on Julian:

On the day that Percy L. Julian graduated at the top of his class at DePauw University, his great-grandmother bared her shoulders and, for the first time, showed him the deep scars that remained from a beating she had received as a slave during the last days of the Civil War. She then clutched his Phi Beta Kappa key in her hand and said, “This is worth all the scars.”

Careful and long time readers of the blog know that we have never hesitated in celebrating the glorious achievements of Americans. From the Apollo program to the beaches of Normandy, we have a lot to be proud of.

But part of being American is the freedom to criticize our government, and the intellectual honesty to acknowledge our mistakes. By learning from our mistakes, we become stronger, which in turn gives rise to great events like landing on the Moon.

America is the land of freedom; but it was the land of slavery. Americans like Percy Julian’s great-grandmother were owned, and their bodies bore the scars of their master’s whips. It was a shameful time in our history, and we are all the more stronger for examining it, mourning those whose lives were taken or ruined, and learning from our collective mistakes.

That is why certain words are odious. That is why certain words strike deep into the scars of our collective memory. That is why certain words, while not banned, are hurtful. Words can invoke a time when a person’s ancestors were owned by others. Words can invoke a time when one American couldn't eat in a restaurant, or use a bathroom that other Americans could. We are not so far removed from a time when the older among us can remember signs on Miami Beach that said “No Jews Or Negros”.

The context of a word is important. To use a word to remember a time and place, and all that was wrong with our country, is perfectly proper. To use a word to cause pain, ignorant of the history and suffering associated with the word is distasteful at best, and the height of ignorance at worst.

And that is why we prefer certain words not be used on our blog.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

BREAKING BLOG NEWS: RUMPOLE YOU SHOULD POST THIS UP FRONT

I have learned exclusively that local bon vivant and former judge John Colby was one of the last people to be seen alive with Anna Nicole Smith and has been interviewed by the authorities and has retained his good friend Quirantes to represent him and handle all media requests.

There is no allegation of foul play, but the belief is he may have information as to what medicine she was taking.

oh..in other news Obama is runing for president.

Anonymous said...

can you help me learn who are the bottom feeders that take CJA cases

Anonymous said...

Why? you can't get on the CJA list. You have no talent. No ability. No money. No cases.

Anonymous said...

I hate even steven, and I don't believe a word of that stupid post. Everyone knows Colby is not a Bon Vivant.

Anonymous said...

n. BAWN vee-VAHN] A bon vivant is a person who is devoted to the finer things in life, especially good food and drink. Example: "She enjoyed visiting her uncle the bon vivant, who always provided fine wine and plenty of rich foods." Bon vivant is a French phrase combining bon (good or favorable) and vivant (living, healthy, animated). Vivant is the present participle of the French verb vivre (to live). Near synonyms include epicure and gourmand

and this

The count's tutor, a man of the world and a bon vivant, up to his eyes in learning, as his pupil described him, often recalled the profound erudition, the witty and caustic satire of Athos to Raoul; but as regarded grace, delicacy, and nobility of external appearance, no one in these points was to be compared to the Comte de la Fere.

Anonymous said...

I have to disagree: I'd say Colby is more of a Dandy or a Fop.

Anonymous said...

Well, in that case there's this:


A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and the cultivation of leisurely hobbies. Historically, especially in late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century Britain, a dandy often strove to imitate an aristocratic style of life despite being of middle-class background — thus a dandy could be considered a kind of snob.

Given these connotations, dandyism can be seen as apolitical protestations against the rise of egalitarian principles — often including nostalgic clinging to feudal or pre-industrial values, such as the ideals of "the perfect gentleman" or "the autonomous aristocrat".

The practice of dandyism first appeared in the revolutionary 1790s, both in London and in Paris. The dandy cultivated skeptical reserve, yet to such extremes that the novelist George Meredith, himself no dandy, once defined "cynicism" as "intellectual dandyism." Nevertheless, the Scarlet Pimpernel is one of the great dandies of literature. Some took a more benign view. For example, Thomas Carlyle in his book Sartor Resartus, wrote that a dandy was no more than "a clothes-wearing man".

Charles Baudelaire defined the dandy as one who elevates aesthetics to a living religion,[2] that the dandy's mere existence reproaches the responsible citizen of the middle class: "Dandyism in certain respects comes close to spirituality and to stoicism" and "These beings have no other status, but that of cultivating the idea of beauty in their own persons, of satisfying their passions, of feeling and thinking .... Contrary to what many thoughtless people seem to believe, dandyism is not even an excessive delight in clothes and material elegance. For the perfect dandy, these things are no more than the symbol of the aristocratic superiority of his mind."

Anonymous said...

I think Joel is a Dandy and a Fop as well.

Anonymous said...

bottomfeeders are not those who are accepted on the CJA wheel (as opposed to just signing a contract to get on the state wheel)

Bottomfeeders look for what sinks to the bottom, they find this by sending brochures and letters to newly arrested clients.

Thats a bottomfeeder list.

Anonymous said...

i hear essen and essen charges up to 10k for a first offense DUI and they send brochures. doesnt sound like they're feeding at the bottom does it?

all in all, though there are a handful of attorneys who send brochures who are worth their salt. i dont hva e problem with them.

but most of the senders are $750 and plea or $69 ticket guys, like the Q and elortegui.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry, but I can't find my Dick Essen? Anybody seen him lately?

Anonymous said...

Rumpole or Phil whats with the Office depot ads and amamzon ads?

Anonymous said...

Essen is dead

Anonymous said...

do all the player haters on the crim law circuit hang on the jbb?

Anonymous said...

I can't believe you morons are talking this crap following that brilliant writing by Rumpole.

Rumpole, my girlfriend who is a lawyer and a long-time doubter of the blog, who chastises me every time I sign on to it, has this to say, in her first apperance:

I have a new appreciation for this blog and you Rumpole, but the legal profession in Miami generally because you are a member of it.

Anonymous said...

8:00 - your lawyer girlfriend is illiterate or you can't type - which is it?

Anonymous said...

This just in...the father of Anna Nicole Smith's baby is Shuminer...or Lurvey...or Blecher...or Lyons...or Phil...or Judge Silverman...or...

Anonymous said...

...Gary Pont...

Anonymous said...

I knew it! Phil R is the father of Anna Nicole's baby! You can't mistake the resemblance!

Anonymous said...

Joel Denaro was seen crying at the hard rock on Thursday. Could he be daddy?

Anonymous said...

Today's Top Reason to Buy An Automatic Weapon and Move to a Cave in Idaho: DVDs of The Anna Nicole Show, which 24 hours ago were unsought-after, to put it politely, are now in 15th place and climbing on the Amazon.com best-seller list -- and they're backordered.

Anonymous said...

What a noble thing, to go on a blog and anonymously write that someone's kid is ugly. You should be so proud.

Anonymous said...

Nice, now you've crossed a line...

E. Garcia

Anonymous said...

I can't type or spell - she is pretty smart.

Anonymous said...

phil's kid is beautiful. you have an asshole for eyes

Rumpole said...

1