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, October 03, 2020

Call Sign Chaos

 As the president remains hospitalized for a Virus that did not- as he promised- "magically disappear"- we will be tweeting @Justicebuilding some of the reflections of Retired General Jim Mattis. His book "Call Sign Chaos" is one of the finest explanations of leadership and reflections on the lessons of war and how organizations should be led.  The lessons Mattis discusses easily translate to running a law firm and preparing for trial. 

Meanwhile- as one person commented recently on the blog: "We like Presidents who do not get sick" and...."We should all extend to the Trump family the same concern and respect that they did as Senator McCain lay dying."

But of course that would be wrong. It would make us like the president, and that would be a tragedy of unprecedented magnitude. 

No one in the White House had the decency and courtesy to notify the Biden campaign once they knew there was a potential issue when Hope Hicks tested positive. Even when Trump tested positive, there was no heads up from the Trump campaign or the White House to the Biden campaign. 

An organization takes its cues from its leader. 

From Call Sign Chaos:

"In his fast moving campaigns during the Civil War, Union General William Tecumseh Sherman habitually sought to threaten two objectives before he attacked. This forced the Confederate generals  to split their forces, giving Sherman a decisive advantage when he made his lunge."

Years ago we observed a legal team that was intimidated to strike at anything, always worried that they would tip their hand. The result was that the prosecution concentrated their forces and attacked and routed the defense.  

Mattis emphasizes over and over again the value of reading books on warfare campaign. His tactics in the desert  in leading a Marine Battalion in the campaign to liberate Kuwait were influenced by the great British General William Slim and his classic "Defeat into Victory" - an account of the British Army recovering and regrouping  in Burma and India and defeating the Japanese. Mattis carried Slim's book with him into battle in Kuwait. 

 


5 comments:

Jason Ireland said...

My four years in the Marines led to a lifetime of studying history, and eventually degrees in history and law. The Commandant's Recommended Reading List is good reading for everyone.

Blonde PD said...

My word Rump you are on FIRE on twitter and although I did not think it possible- even more witty and brillant

Rumpole said...

I just ordered Viscount Slim's book "From Defeat to Victory" based on Mattis's recommendation Mr. Ireland.
Semper Fi

Anonymous said...

I never served under General Mattis as I was in the Corps prior to his leadership, but like many other leaders in our beloved Corps he knew that we accomplish the mission while also taking care of the troops. I was an 0311 grunt in 1970 when our country was in turmoil. The lessons I learned back then continue to guide me today; do the right thing for the right reason. After leaving the Corps I worked the street with the DCPSD and thereafter worked my way through college and law school going to be an ASA in Broward for 20 years and then going to NCF where I continue to prosecute bad folks for doing bad things when the evidence and facts support it. I continue to be guided by our creed, Semper Fi, God Bless our Corps. Thanks..................SAO5

Anonymous said...

One of the many, many ironies of this presidency is that it can’t get along with and keep an American patriot like general Mattis but scoured the country to find the quack “Dr.” Atlas and put him in charge of pandemic response. The good “Dr.”s only qualification is that he agrees with Trumps medical opinion that masks don’t matter and everybody should be thrown together willy nilly. Atlas’ theories and advice were on full display during the getty to meet and greet Judge Barrett. Now the top of our government is on a possible death watch and the American people are left closer to the center of hell. Atlas was also foisted on the people of Florida a couple of weeks ago by governor, and Trump sycophant, DeSantis, who publicly relied on Atlas advice to throw open the state and specifically encourage no masks. The degree of incompetence by the current Republican officials is head spinning, there’s been talk of administering a cognizance test to one of the candidates for president, better yet, I suggest the test be administered to those who still support Trump. On second thought maybe the test of mental incompetence should be “do you still support Trump?”.