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.

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

THE MAYFLOWER COMPACT

On November 11, 1620, off the coast of Cape Cod, forty-one passengers of the Mayflower signed what is now known as the Mayflower Compact.  Some passengers of the Mayflower were fleeing religious persecution; others were adventurers and tradesmen looking for a new life in a new land. 

This was the first document, signed by individuals on these shores, that provided for the creation of a government, among the people, by the consent of the governed, to organize a society under "just and equal laws." A small and humble beginning to what eventually became a nation founded under the philosophy that all people are created equal, and that they have the inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The Compact states, inter alia: 

...do by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic; for our better ordering, and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.

These people, who we now call Pilgrims, endured a difficult journey through the rough Atlantic ocean winter waters, and landed in an new land, where they faced deprivations, starvation, and attack by native Americans. 

Yet in the face of all these obstacles, they not only survived, they prospered, and their sons and daughters, and their grandsons and granddaughters, founded a nation that twice saved the world from tyranny; that  put a human being on the moon, and has always been the last, best hope for freedom and peace on this planet.

As we gather with family and friends and give thanks for our freedom and prosperity, let us spend a moment and remember it all began with a small group of people who risked their lives so that they would be free to worship as they pleased. 

Happy Thanksgiving. 

H. Rumpole. Esq., Blog Proprietor. 



30 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful post.

Claude Erskine- Browne said...

Yet, they were also an oppressive majority. They used the lash and pilloried people in stocks for small infractions. They believed in their religious freedom, but if you dared question or worship differently, your very life was in Danger, to the point that Rover Williams had to flee to create what became Rhode Island . Nor should we forget those tortured or burned at the stake as witches after circus trials .
History must be remembered as it was, to.understand both our greatness and our failures. We should not strive to recreate a 1950s view that ignores our flaws or we cannot learn to be better then we are.

Rumpole said...

I have two thoughts. First, it occurred to me, as I wrote the post, that the Compact was not the first written document creating a government among peoples on our shores. The Native Americans certainly had such compacts, although no written ones survive.

And second, while there is much that can be said to criticize those who founded this country, from intolerance, to slavery, to the abhorrent treatment of Native Americans, we recognize them for their bravery. There is no place on earth left for brave people to explore and settle, without access to help and rescue if needed. These Pilgrims were truly, utterly, and completely on their own. Their survival depended wholly on their own skills. To farm, to hunt, to build and to take care of each other in sickness. There was no one else to help them as strangers in a strange land. The only comparable event on the horizon for humanity is the settlement of Mars.

To remember the first Americans and to honor their bravery is not to excuse their faults, for who among us who has not sinned should cast the first stone.

Peace.


Floyd said...

Remember the blowout of Ren Gen II last year? They brought in four hundred turkeys, all exactly eight pounds, raised on one of those small islands off of Japan on a strict diet of rice and pumpkin seeds. They roasted them for a half hour and finished them with a flash fry and then a bourbon cherry sauce. The most amazing Turkey I've ever eaten.
The rest of the meal was average, although the truffle wine sauce over the mashed potatoes was amazing, as was the rum crust pumpkin pie and the home made banana-dark cherry flan and toasted sesame green tea ice cream. Those were the days. I drank two bottles of a Lafite Rothschild-Pauillac 2012 and enjoyed myself immensely.

Anonymous said...

Because F*** the Native People to North America that were being invaded by the people of Foreign lands you know immigrants. Maybe we should change the Compact to the The Balfour Declaration" was a public statement issued by the British government during World War I announcing support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine, then an Ottoman region with a minority Jewish population... Happy the beginning of the end for the Native Americans, we actually celebrate this.

Millennial Me. said...

Rumpole, second year in Miami working for one of the big two (sao or pd) and second year in a row I've spent Thanksgiving alone. But no worries. I'm fine. Couple of random thoughts:

Cowboys suck.
Cats are better than dogs for apartments.
Patton was overrated.
Black Friday is for idiots.
Very quietly Judge Ortiz is one of the best.
Philip Rivers isn't winning a super bowl. Ever.
There are no real quality places in Miami to get a really really good steak. In Chicago there are dozens.
There is nothing like a real good independent book store on a cold, snowy day.
Dumplings in soup are underrated.
Shark Tank is a great show.
Most judges don't read the motions we write.
Guys who drive Porsches are far from cool.
Spotify rocks. Even with the commercials it is a superior service.
Turkey on Thanksgiving is kinda dope.
But the Turkey, stuffing and cranberry sandwich later, with a cold beer, is dope.
No one over 30 should use Snapchat. That should be a law.
Twitter is done. Bank on it.
I like your Pilgrims post. I think you are a superior writer to the swill on the net.
Kevin Spacey has always been a bit creepy, so no surprise there. Ditto Franken.
Wow but that Arab Emirates Airline commercial looks way cool. Private room. TV and bed. Sign me up.
LL Cool J is overrated.
So is Kentucky Fried Chicken. As a Millennial, we care about out health.
So that's why I love Pho. Love it.

Can I be a contributor to your blog?
Let the people vote.

Millennial Me

Real Fake Former Judge said...

A star is born. The guy is great.

Millennial Me. said...

I'm a chick you idiot.

Rumpole said...

Somehow I knew that.

Anonymous said...

I'm wondering about the intelligence nee the ability of a lawyer who uses the term "dope" repeatedly.

Kissimmee Kid said...

Millennial is dope, she's freaking dope! Just dope.

Anonymous said...

Hey SIR KENNY — when did Postrio in San Francisco close? I walked all the way there and it is empty. I wound up at BENU.

Millenial Me said...

So apparently Rumpole has been receiving inappropriate comments about me. I emailed him and we are negotiating for me to be a blog contributor. Apparently I need to reveal my identity for him to give me access to post, but my "I'll show you mine if you show me yours" offer didn't go over well with him.

So let me take this opportunity to respond to some of the emails and comments about me he didn't post but sent to me:

Q: How big are her/your (insert common word here. Tits. Boobs. Breasts. You name it, it was asked.)
A: None of your fucking business.

Q: Is she single?
A: Duh. That's why I was alone on Turkey day.

Q: Is she gay?
A: Not that's it's any of your business but no. I'm just a chick that is cool and enjoys a beer and knows about military history and watches football and basketball (I was at the Heat game the other night when they beat the Celtics, but truth be known, I was rooting for Beantown.) I also do yoga, meditate, did a triathlon last year, and may complete my masters in European Literature soon. I speak Spanish, French and a bit of German and Chinese.

Q: is she hot?
A: yeah

Q: What's the deal with her dislike of Porsches?
A: Every wanna-be guy leases a Porsche and then struggles to pay the 1500/month lease. I've even had some pretenders go to one of those weekend luxury car rental places just so he could impress me by driving up in a 911 when he took me to Prime 112 on a first (and last) date. The fake Patek didn't help his image (Dad runs a jewelry store so I grew up in the business).

Which brings me to Prime 112 and my comment about no good steakhouses in Miami.

Q: Tell that dumb broad to eat at Prime 112.
A: (Yawn) been there, ate that. And all the stupid sauces on the side you can order. How un-freakin-unoriginal. Give me a place that cooks a prime NY strip black and blue- throws it on the plate (not that sizzling butter scam at Ruth's Chris) and gives me a side of asparagus or broccoli with hollandaise and a baked potato with a Blue Label scotch on the rocks and some Jamaican Blue coffee ground a few minutes before and made in a french press at the table with a nice hunk of cheese cake. Simple and good food done right without all the foo-foo fuss that Miami seems to think makes them players in the food business.

And so now I have a question which I will answer: Why was almost every question about me about the way I look?
A: Because men are morons and even after the Harvey Weinstein, Roy Moore, Bill Cosby, Al Franken, Charlie Rose, Glenn Thursh fiascos, men still evaluate women by how they look.
And that includes the judges and lawyers who regularly hit on me. I cannot say I've been the victim of inappropriate touching. And certainly no one has ever whipped it out in my presence, which I think would cause me to laugh my ass off and try to take a picture of it so I could embarrass the shit out of them. But that is not to diminish the humiliating feeling those women who had to endure Louis CK jerking off in front of them. The whole thing sucks. But as you can see, despite all the issues now arising, men still are primarily interested in the size of my- or any women's- breasts.

Well if Rumpole allows me to contribute to the blog, I would like to make my posts about something other than sex, the way I look, and the unwanted advances I have received along to the way to becoming a lawyer of two years experience in the criminal justice system.

I have some thoughts about ponzi schemes; the UM losing today, good cheap wine, Rupi Kaur's poetry, The Federalist Society, quants, MI5, Angela Merkel, the proposed Mexican wall, Immigration, Fed policy and QE, Manolo Blahnik shoes, false confessions, and other topics, if our good blooger will allow me to post.

Email him. Post comments. #letthegirlspeak


Anonymous said...

You like military history? You drink scotch. You love watching sports? You sound like a dude. #pleasespeakless

Millennial Me. said...

I know baby. I scare you.
#letthegirlspeak

Anonymous said...

Don’t care that your a girl. Don’t find you interesting.

Anonymous said...

Let's take apart your freezing cold takes

Cowboys suck...most of the NFL sucks. There is maybe 4 good teams, then a bunch of okay teams, and about 4 really bad teams. Football in general is now boring and it's a lot of 4 yard passes. No coach wants to try anything crazy in fear of being fired.

Cats are better than dogs for apartments. What gave that away? The fact that your supposed to walk dogs in grass and cats can remain inside at all times?

Patton was overrated. Patton is fairly rated. His move into Sicily was good overall and he made a quick dash threw France and did a great job at the Falaise pocket and latter saved the 101st Airborne at Bastogne. Made a far reaching push into Germany and advanced all the way into Czechslovakia.

Black Friday is for idiots. Real reach on this one. The big problem with Black Friday, from a behavioral economist’s perspective, is that every incentive a consumer could possibly have to participate — the promise of “doorbuster” deals on big-ticket items like TVs and computers, the opportunity to get all your holiday shopping done at once — is either largely illusory or outweighed by a disincentive on the other side. It’s a nationwide experiment in consumer irrationality, dressed up as a cheerful holiday add-on.

Very quietly Judge Ortiz is one of the best. See ya in civil.

Philip Rivers isn't winning a super bowl. Ever. Post this again when Phillip Rivers is down one score with a minute left. Why not just go with "Eli Manning isn't winning the Super Bowl Again."


There are no real quality places in Miami to get a really really good steak. In Chicago there are dozens. Have you tried Red? Very few US eateries actually importing real Japanese beef, Red does at about half the price its handful of competitors charge, along with aged “regular” ultra-high quality domestic beef.

You also are not a second year PD/ASA and for sure not an ASA (the voluminous amount of languages you claim to speak preclude you). If you are year two you are still trolling in county or juvi. See ya when you grow up in adult court.

Millennial Me. said...

FANS! I have fans. Ok, lets start with 12:38 who doesn't care I'm a girl. Obviously a distinguished member of the Bar. Probably an appellate lawyer. But one small tiny little problem. You wrote "I don't care that your a girl."
How about in the future we use the conjunctive "you're " for indicating "you are" Okay? We good with that amigo? Now go read a freaking book and get some education.

Now to 9:19. Let's start with Patton. His campaign in Sicily was a disaster. He threw General Bradley to the wolves. Bradley served under Patton in Africa and Sicily before Eisenhower made Bradley his superior in the European campaign. Now granted, Eisenhower was desperate for a good general in Africa after Rommel defeated (routed) US forces at the Battle of the Kasserine Pass. Eisenhower dismissed Gen Loyd Fredenhall and sent him packing. In stepped Patton who acquitted himself well. But in Italy, Patton raced to Messina because he wanted to beat Montgomery and the British and left the hard fighting and slogging to Bradley who incurred a lot of casualties. This was a pattern that occurred again and again. No complaints about Patton at Bastogne, but really, should we make him a saint? And then he caused Eisenhower no end of problems in the final push into Germany. And of course he wanted to fight the Russians using the German army. Not a big global strategic thinker. Read Ambrose's bio of Ike and you will see.

Rivers a last minute drive to win a SB? How about winning a playoff game first. Won't happen, so your fantasy won't come true. He's a mediocre loser. Now what I am going to say is going to make a lot of people mad BUT...hmmmmm who else was a QB that set all sorts of records during the regular season and then couldn't bring it home? Tony Romo comes to mind. so does...easy does it please...Dan Marino. Elway won two at the end of his career, but Dan couldn't. Sorry, but the truth hurts.

So I'm negotiating with Rumpole to let me post on the blog. But I can report to you that it might be easier to get Kim Jong Il to wear a dress in Times Square on New Year's Eve. This guy is tough.

Come on people #letthegirlspeak #letthegirlblog

Anonymous said...

Hey Milli-me
Wannabe girl lawyer
Get your own blog
You aren’t needed or wanted on this blog
SYG Rumpole.
S/he’s an annoying bloviating distraction.

Anonymous said...

Millennial Me 2- Fans: zero.

Rumpole - LET THE GIRL SPEAK
LET THE GIRL BLOG
comeon man !

Anonymous said...

Shut the millenial up. What an idiot. Her posts are worse than the ones about Ren, and even worse than those stupid Shumie posts from year ago.

Anonymous said...

#letthegirlspeak
#letthegirlspeak
#letthegirlspeak
#letthegirlspeak
#letthegirlspeak
#letthegirlspeak
#letthegirlspeak
#letthegirlspeak

#LETTHEGIRLBLOG
#letthegirlspeak
#letthegirlspeak
#letthegirlspeak
#letthegirlspeak
#letthegirlspeak
#letthegirlspeak
#letthegirlspeak

#LETTHEGIRLBLOG

Anonymous said...

Wow! These founders sound like people who disrespected authority. They certainly would not make good citizens of a "great America".

Anonymous said...

The post on Patton sounds like she just watched the movie.

Anonymous said...

I think that her posts are far more interesting than the usual fare on this blog. announcing deaths, whingeing abotu Judges with a dash of worship for the queen of all Morons--Ayn Rand

BTW nice to see some woman in Miami who is not impressed by a flash ride

Anonymous said...

Reminiscent of our old friend Angry Gurl who was arrogant and ponderous

Anonymous said...

Nothing like Angry Gurl who only mocked all of the world for eating while she worked out all day. I think AG had a lot of self hatred.

you can get a good steak at The Palm

Anonymous said...

I think you missed the point on Rivers. No one thinks he is ever winning it - so it's not such a fresh opinion.

Other barn burners:

UF isn't winning the College Football Playoffs in 2017

KFR isn't going to be governor of Florida ever.

The Third DCA will issue a bunch more PCAs.

People are cutting the cord.

People are up and arms over net neutrality.

The renovated McDonalds restaurants look nicer.

People who correct your vs. you're online need to get a life - half the time the post is autocorrected to something grammatically incorrect. Great you've read strunk and white.

Sexual harassment is bad.

Elway won Super Bowls due to the run scheme they had in place, and he wasn't that important. I'd still take Marino.

No one cares that you are a male or a female. No one cares enough to email into the blog and ask about what you look like or the size of your rack - it's 2017 and there are plenty of ways to get your rocks off online.

Is your incredible take on false confessions that they happen?!?! How revolutionary.

Yawn. Snooze. Get a life.

Millennial Me. said...

No, I didn't just watch the movie, although I've seen it. I just read Ambrose's biography of Eisenhower. Try reading a book 4: 36. And last year I read "An Army At Dawn" which is about the first US combat in WWII- Africa- and before that I read Patton's book "War as I knew it" and before that I read Cornelius Ryan's "The Longest Day" and before that I read Manchester's amazing biography of MacArthur "American Cesar" and before that I read "Erwin Rommel A life from beginning to end". But I understand, a woman should not be heard on war issues and generals. Right?

Anonymous said...

Fascinatingly banal discourse.