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.

Monday, February 26, 2024

FLACO AND CONSTITUTIONAL LAW

 

Flaco The Owl. 
Two topics to start off the week. The first is that Falco, a Eurasian Owl that had escaped the Central Park Zoo (as a law student we signed on to work on the case circa late 1970s to shut the old zoo down) died in NYC last week. 

Like many New Yorkers, we were captivated by Flaco, who was born in captivity. He was freed last year by what the Zoo called an "act of vandalism" but about which we cheered. There were concerns that Flaco would starve but he soon proved to be an adept hunter of rats in Central Park. The Twitter (now X) feeds documenting Flaco are worth a look. 

Like all New Yorkers, Flaco had  wanderlust. He decamped to the Lower East Side last spring. The speculation was that he, like many of his fellow New Yorkers, was looking for love in the Village. He then returned to his favourite tree in Central Park, where he occasionally ventured into the Upper West Side, but like us, he apparently found it boring, and always returned home. 

We are going to say this one time: Animals belong in the wild and not in Zoos. Period. End of discussion. You disagree? Go live in a cage for a year and let us know how you like it. 

The second issue for the day is the handwringing by Constitutional Law Professors over the teaching of Con Law now that the Court is populated by second level intellects of a certain political persuasion. Oh what to do

The NY Times article is here. 

When did you lose faith in the Court? 

For us we could say it was the opinion in Wickard v. Filburn, holding that a farmer could not consume the wheat he grew because of the greater good (altruistic collectivism in its most basic form).  Or maybe it was Buck v. Bell upholding the forced sterilization of people with diminished mental capacity, which caused Justice Homes to write in 1927 that  "Three generations of idiots are enough."  Who said only the Nazis had a monopoly on eugenics?

By the time the Court decided Bush v. Gore and stopped the counting of votes for President we were done, at least in the belief that the reasons behind the decisions were purely legal. 

And we predict it will even get worse. Our Governor selects Judges recommended by a conservative society who has lost its roots. Our wanna be judges fall all over themselves to ignore morality, common sense, and reason, and only employ a careful parsing of what idiot lawmakers in Tallahassee wrote (Unless its a pesky death penalty precedent, and then it's "Out with the old and in with the Right" ). 

Sorry but the death of Flaco just has us totally bummed. 

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

RIP Flaco. Are there any updates on the judicial races?

Anonymous said...

RE: Flaco just has us totally bummed.

What about the other of millions of birds that probably die a year? Are their deaths not valid?

Geez Rump, get a life which you don't have since you're bummed about a dead bird. Are you planning to wear black-- are you mourning? Will you need a few days to grieve?

Anonymous said...

Swiftie Fan here--

Many zoo advocates and conservationists argue that zoos save endangered species and educate the public. Zoos save endangered species by bringing them into a safe environment, where they are protected from poachers, habitat loss, starvation, and predators.

FYI-- Reputable zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) are held to high standards for the treatment of their resident animals. According to AZA, its accreditation guarantees that the organization has undergone strict evaluation by recognized experts to ensure the highest standards of "animal management and care, including living environments, social groupings, health, and nutrition.

Rumpole said...

This the classic social media hit. Written by a pinhead. Finding fault with anything - in this case our sadness over the death of a beautiful creature whose story captivated us.
I probably should not have posted it considering the standard stupid retort to a heartfelt post.

Anonymous said...

No one is talking about the two biggest joke candidates running thus far this cycle. Alina Restrepo and Michelle Urbistondo are both woefully unqualified but I guess they have the right gender and surnames….. 🤡

Anonymous said...

RE: . Finding fault with anything???

Well, well, well, isn't that the pot calling the kettle black! Um, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you the same person who keep finding fault in Taylor Swift???

Anonymous said...

According to the NY Post about 250,000 birds die when they fly into New York City buildings every year, including some who mistake the reflection of trees and skys in windows for the real thing.

Anonymous said...

He was cared for in the zoo where he could have lived many more years but yet loose in an unfamiliar environment, now he's dead after 1 year. Untold numbers of birds are killed by the hundreds of wind generators around Palm Springs. Do your research Rump, and you will see what I am saying its true, but I dont hear any of those birds making headlines or even having a blog post dedicated to their deaths. Hey all you animal rights activists, now it's dead, how did that work out?

Anonymous said...

For many species, the free food, good medical care and absence of predators will more than compensate for the loss of freedom. Zoos save endangered species by bringing them into a safe environment, where they are protected from poachers, habitat loss, starvation, and predators. On average, captive animals (especially mammals) live longer than wild animals. This may be due to the fact that zoos provide refuge against diseases, competition with others of the same species and predators.They are important for educational purposes, providing firsthand wildlife experiences that foster public awareness and interest in conservation. Zoos also contribute to scientific research on animal behavior and biology, aiding in broader conservation efforts.Some other ways zoos are saving animals from extinction is by having breeding programs. In the wild, an animal may have trouble finding a mate due to poaching and every other reason mentioned earlier. By helping animals breed, their population will go up, avoiding extinction.

Anonymous said...

Birds aren't real.

Rumpole said...

Same old pablum that zoo defenders have said for decades. Animals were created to live in the wild. Hunt and be hunted. To live free. Ever see a big cat like a lion or tiger in a cage pacing back and forth for hours a day? They get all the food and medical care they need and their life is a horror. You go live in a cage where you’re fed three times a day and see how you like it.

Anonymous said...

When I look in their eyes I do not see kinship or warmth or understanding -- only the monstrous indifference of nature. Werner Herzog, more or less, talking about the bears who ate the guy who was their biggest advocate. I stand with Rumpole on the Eagle Owl's manhattan adventure, though.

RUMPOLE’S MOM said...

RUMPOLE DON’T SAY THAT. IM VERY PROUD OF YOU FOR CARING ABOUT ANIMALS. TRY TO CALL ME MORE. LOVE YOU.

Rumpole said...

Mom we have rules about you writing on the blog and I call every day as you well know

Anonymous said...

Listen Rump since you believe you are such an animal rights activist, let me tell you about PETA and how deranged they are, PETA thinks that domestication in any form is cruelty and all animals should be free and wild. Any person who keeps a pet is cruel and harmful.