Men In Black

 Men In Black

By Mark Levin

These days of 2005 are filled with charged discussion on Supreme Court nominations and Justice nominations at lower levels as well. I’ve read a few books on justice in my past; I picked this book up as a vacation reader while on the beach at Bama & Bampa’s place. It is a recent publication by an author with credentials in law and a protagonist for the Justice of constitutionalist bent, which leaves him with a rightward lean. However, please don’t let the cover or his reputation dissuade you form an easy read through judicial history. He makes a case for judicial reform and cites a trail of inept judges (for many reasons) and a history of cases, whether left or right outcome, as demonstrable evidence to put judicial activism in check.

The basic premise whereby a judicial ruling is based on the practical outcome of events as opposed to strict interpretation of our Constitution, as amended are put in an alarming context when the author makes apparent that justices are appointed for life. My current views of recent events found myself comparing ‘men in black” to the “unguided hands” vested in the mullahs of Iran. Each can overturn the powers of elected government and thwart the will of the people that government represents.

Levin describes a progressive process that began in the Marbury ruling of 1803 and has been downhill ever since. He describes an orchestrated process that includes activist groups propelling our represented government to appoint men with a presumed bias; albeit historically not so, pre or post appointment. I include the post fact because Levin demonstrates where constitutionalist judges evolve to activist decisions over time due to pressure from activists inside the beltway. In that evolutionary process Levin demonstrates the word tools judges use to stretch a new meaning or direction of the constitution. And finally Levin demonstrates where agendas of activist groups bring cases to court in a strategic way to push our democratic process further down that slippery slope.

The book is a challenge to read because it brings up current cases whereby the casual reader would find personal bias of an example case to interfere with the position being put forth by the author. In my opinion, we are by human nature easily swayed into a train of thought that would have an influence on the outcome of a person’s fate as opposed to being disciplined to our mandates of our Constitution. There are some events where a decision doesn’t even belong in our Courts. Yet the precedence set in Marbury 1803 decision allows for judicial review of democratic process to put elected decision makers in check, leaving democratic decisions vulnerable the human nature of a Supreme Arbitrator. This is common when activism looses at the ballot box. And these “Justices” often fall prey to that same instinct. Righting the wrongs of the world as “they see it.”

I recommend this book only to give today’s left or right a grounding point. While the book’s cover and introduction do not imply this I feel Levin provided enough balance to put the reader in the center. His call is not for any political agenda, but for reform in the judicial process with regard to appointments of judges. It is only a call with a couple shallow ideas as a way forward. The side affect from reading select cases leads the reader to pause and think…. could I ever be a good juror? The Murphy family is well aware of what liberties can diminish when activist agendas draw our politicians and our courts in on issues they do not belong in. Joe, I thought of you when I turned the last page. Indeed we are not fixing a social problem at your expense. How do we fix this?

Hope in the Dark

 

Hope in the Dark

By Rebecca Solnit

 

Rebecca Solnit is first and foremost an Activist.  This book is a cross section of world issues where she has played the role of Activist and her philosophic approach to what it is to be an activist.  She would say it this way:  if there is something going on in your life, weather it is around the block or around the world, that does not fit your moral standards do something about it.  She goes on to say if the issues look hopeless, know there are likely thousands of people on the dark edges, looking at the same thing.  Speak out, eventually the voice from the edges will arrive on the center stage. 

Yin/Yang are my words.  Rebecca says it this way.  This 21st century is an extraordinary time full of vital, transformative movements that could not be foreseen.  It has also been a nightmarish time.  Full engagement requires the ability to see both.  In my words, the phrase ‘strange bedfellows’ comes to mind.  I provide two examples. 

·       First are my words.   I cite Trump who has been called a Populist, appealing to an outsider’s voice [drain the swamp] in his political role as POTUS.  Many news agencies cry the dangers of a populist leader not just in the USA but around the world.  The implication is the “populist” being revolutionary may be a bit untamed.  Yet the mere word popular, suggests the people like him and his revolutionary ideas.  You could call him an activist, a term usually associated by the Left here in America.    

·       Second, Rebecca cites ‘Silicon Valley as a global power center that has eliminated and automated countless jobs enhancing economic inequality; it has produced new elites and monstrous corporations from Amazon with its attack on publishing, authors and working conditions, to Google which is attempting to build global information monopoly in myriad arenas and in the process amassing terrifying powers including the powers that comes with sophisticated profiles of most computer users.  The tech companies have created and deployed surveillance capacities that the Kremlin and FBI…. ” 

·       Rebecca: “Hope locates itself in the premises that we don’t know what will happen and that in spaciousness of uncertainty is room to act.  When you recognize uncertainty, you recognize that you may be able influence the outcome” 

Back to my words,  lets look at what we just witnessed in Facebook and Twitter regarding the New York Post on Hunter Biden.  Silicon Valley boldly showed their LEFT HAND and BLOCKED the NY Post of an alleged Biden crime.  Whereas we have heard for four years free flowing allegations and popular prosecution of Trump.  These tech companies are doing more than surveillance.  They are shaping popular opinion.  Ironically, this is exactly  what they despise in a Populist leader.   IS this not looking this from both sides.  Engage!!!! 

When you first open the book, read her forward.  Read it twice.  It is full of tightly packed allegory, metaphor-in-reality, poetry-in-prose that will inspire to move on to chapter one.  She closes each chapter with inspirational words that once you close the last page you will make your list of actionable movements you want to start or join.  She does not delve into philanthropy.  You will find with other book reviews on this site where Rebecca or you can pursue your activism. 

In reading this book I find most of Rebecca’s issues are not in alignment with mine.  So WHAT!!!  But the thread on the theme Hope in the Dark asks the reader to look at both sides of issues.  It is not the issue all by itself as it is how the issue sits with you and what action you take.  She defines hope in many ways.  She would say in hope when you personify your position on an issue, you are already successful. 

  I will capture just a couple here in this review.   Read the book and make you own list. 

• ·       After listing a few issues Rebecca says “Hope doesn’t mean denying these realities.  It means facing them and addressing them by remembering what else the twenty-first century has brought including the movements, heroes and shifts in consciousness that address these things now.”
• ·       “it’s important to say what hope is not:  it is not the belief that everything is, or will be fine …..  The hope I am interested is about broad perspectives with specific possibilities, ones that invite or demand that we act.