The umpire strikes back
I was bothered by this during John Roberts Supreme Court nomination hearings. I was even more bothered by this during Samuel Alito's nomination hearings. And while I was already really annoyed by Bush shedding crocodile tears over the death of Coretta Scott King, I was really irritated by people calling the truth "politics" when Reverend Joseph Lowery told it like it is at her funeral.
It's not just a question of the fact that Coretta would have approved, although, she undoubtedly would have. It's that there wasn't more of it. More speaking to her ideas and ideals, for that is a large part of what makes a life.
People have ideas, beliefs, and judgements. People get nominated to the Supreme Court for these beliefs. And, when they die, they should be honored for their beliefs by those they have inspired.
Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the press were enamored with John Roberts' simile likening judges to umpires. But not only are judges nothing like umpires, umpires aren't even like umpires in any area of their life outside of their job. And, even then, it's not just rabid Seahawks fans who think that umpires bring to the game their prejudices, their judgements, and their beliefs.
Politics is, to me, about how I live my daily life, how I respond to the decisions the goverment makes in my name, and what I believe about the world. If "playing politics" sounds dirty, it's because corrupt politicians have toyed with matters of life and death and everyday life.
