The Laughing Wolf

Judge Roy Bean, er, Moore

This is a “local” issue for me and I have been watching it to see what he would do in his pursuit of Lilly, I mean publicity. This is an issue that the judge has been riding for several years now, and it has served him well. It has taken him from an obscure local judgeship to being the chief justice of the state. And if anyone is wondering, the lack of capitalization is deliberate.

I have no doubts that the man has strong and sincere beliefs. It is also my opinion that he realized that his beliefs and his desire to enforce a very narrow viewpoint on certain issues had both mass appeal within certain demographics and has ridden it for all he is worth. Others are covering a variety of legal issues and such, and doing an outstanding job of it. Others are doing a good job of covering the fantasy ideology that Christians “like us” are a persecuted minority within the U.S. Make no mistake about it, that is as much a fantasy ideology as is the brand of Islam that elected to wage war against the U.S. and the civilized world. Others are covering the midnight raid that put it in place without consultation with anyone, an event that has made money for some of the people involved with it. Others are covering the fact that this monument is not even public property.

What I want to look at today is a fairly simple point. Judge Bean here claims to be within his legal rights both as a judge and as an individual. As an individual, he has pursued this particular hobby horse for many years, and this is not the first time he has defied a higher court on this issue. He is right in saying that as an individual he does not have to accept what he considers an incorrect or illegal ruling from any judge, He is right that none of us have to do so. We can defy laws we think are wrong, and are free to refuse orders from the Bench – or any source – if we feel them to be illegal or immoral.

The difference here is that he is not doing it as an individual. He claims the moral high road, and a better understanding of Federal and local law, and that he is doing what any Citizen should do. Yet, he is doing this not as a Citizen, but the chief justice of a state with the state to bear the burden of his crusade. For while he may face individual jail time, rather than put his own purse up towards the fine he has in essence put the purse of the state on the line. Every other Citizen in the state is now on the line to pay his fines.

If the judge is sincere and honorable in his intentions, then let him match his talk by agreeing to take full and complete responsibility. This means having him (or his supporters through donations) pay for all legal, office, and other related expenses that the State may incur or has incurred in this process; having him agree that the fines are his responsibility as well; and, that any other civil or criminal penalties are his as well, be it monetary or jail time.

His own statements yesterday on the rights and responsibilities of Citizens, particularly in the face of illegal and unjust rulings, clearly state he can do no less. This is his own private crusade, so he should do the honorable, responsible, and legal thing and take full responsibility for it in every respect. He has chosen this burden and test, and he should take it up in full.

By his actions shall he be judged. His actions to date do him little credit, and do the State much worse. Yet I am willing to make a bet that he rides this new persecuted hero status even further. That fact may well be the saddest commentary of all.

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