Reason for Hope

I may live in a state that believes that taxation is something that everyone is entitled to, whose budget has been ridden into the ground by a string of Democratic governors, and that was dumb enough to be conned into voting Johnny Boy Edwards in as our Senator, but we've still got a couple of really great things going for us: 1) We have overwhelmingly supported every Republican presidential candidate since Reagan at least (that's as long as I can remember) and 2) today we told an activist judge that he could stick his reforms in his ear. These two items give me much hope!

District Judge James M. Honeycutt decided that he would take it upon himself to change courtroom procedures. According to the article,

The high court ordered Honeycutt to stop using a revised oath missing the phrase "so help you God," and administer the witness oath as spelled out in state law. The court also ordered the judge to allow bailiffs to begin court sessions with a proclamation that includes "God save the state and this honorable court."

The article went on to say that "Honeycutt had threatened to hold several bailiffs in contempt of court if they continued to use the phrase."

Fortunately this little Brown Shirt in a black robe's term will be expiring in 2006. I am going to make it a personal goal to try to prevent his re-election.

Apparently, quite a few court clerks and bailiffs refused to obey der Furher's orders. This left the judge to swear in his own witnesses. I'm sure that really instilled confidence! It's too bad this sort of resistance doesn't happen more often. However, it is exactly this type of resistance that gives me hope. Just like when Val Prieto writes about dissident activities in his native Cuba, there is something about American people finding their backbone that just excites me.

So, it is with hope that I view North Carolina's voting record (for President anyway) and resistance to the court's fascism. Of course, my hope will grow by leaps and bounds if we put a Republican in the Governor's mansion, a second Republican in the Senate, and follow our usual course and support President Bush in November.