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Bobby Jindal is Fighting Right of First Black Supreme Court Justice to be Chief
Republicans Aren’t Racists, But Bobby Jindal is Fighting the Right of First Black Supreme Court Justice to be Chief Justice
Harkening back to the good old days when Republicans told women that they were pro women because Sarah Palin had ovaries and she was on their ticket, Republicans also have minorities in their ranks like Bobby Jindal (Republican Governor of Louisiana), who is Indian-American. This is supposed to put to rest any notion that they are racists, because racists never, ever fight within minorities like say the Hispanic gang members against the African American gang members in East LA (racism is a tool of the powerful to keep the lower ranks fighting among themselves, deliberately implemented by those in power but believed by those out of power).
Standing tall with the “I am/have a friend who’s gay/female/black/Hispanic/etc and therefor it’s okay when my policies suppress you” get-out-of-bigot-jail free card, Bobby Jindal is challenging a U.S. federal judge’s ruling that a female African American Supreme Court Justice can be the Chief justice in Louisiana.
Because Justice Bernette Johnson was originally elected in 1994 but then assigned to serve on the Supreme Court, due to the state’s deal with the federal government over racial discrimination, the all white justices are saying she doesn’t get to be next in line to be the head justice. Her time doesn’t count, because she was appointed and not elected.
Of course, if this were true, George W. Bush would not have ever been able to destroy our economy.
But let us not go down that rabbit hole, since we are told by peeved Republicans that we may not blame Bush for what he really did, because it never happened and if it did, it was Obama’s fault.
Justice Johnson took her case to federal court, to ask that her full tenure on the Supreme Court be reaffirmed. No word on whether or not Jindal is requiring her long form birth certificate yet, but double checking the worthiness of black people is always in the cards when those in power are trying to keep their racial discrimination under wraps. It turns out that the federal court agreed that her time served met the state’s constitutional requirements.
If you’ve read your history or even this article, you already know what Jindal’s argument was in his appeal to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals of the federal court’s ruling.
Say it with me: State’s rights! “The issue on appeal is not who should serve as the next Chief Justice, but whether the Louisiana Supreme Court should be prohibited by a federal court from interpreting the state’s constitution.”
That’s right, because remember, it was the federal court who ordered them to have a minority on the court in the first place. But who needs the feds telling bigots what to do? Way back in the good old days of the Civil War (where no doubt, Republicans aim to take us again), arguments for “state’s rights” were code for legislating racial discrimination. And nothing much has changed these days.
And it was a federal court that sided with Justice Johnson just six days ago:
U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan ruled that Johnson had the seniority to succeed Chief Justice Catherine “Kitty” Kimball when she retires early next year.
Morgan validated Johnson’s service as counting toward having the longest tenure. Republicans will claim this is not about racism, and yet they have given no valid reason for fighting Johnson’s seniority other than her being forced upon them due to their racial discrimination, and given the reality that they were forced to have her on their court in the first place, it’s getting really hard to avoid the elephant in the room.
Even the mainstream media isn’t avoiding it, noting things like “Morgan sided with Johnson’s bid to become the state’s first black chief justice” and Reuters noting that Jindal is fighting the ruling that would “allow a black state supreme court justice to become the court’s next chief justice”, while noting not only Jindal’s racial make up, but the all white court. Clearly, the racial make up of the players is an issue.
They’re just not coming out and saying that yes, Bobby Jindal is engaging in racism and discrimination. And why? Yes, why would you suppose that Bobby Jindal would care who makes up the courts that will decide on things like whether or not Republican voter ID laws are fair and if their redistricting is fair? Heavens, we can’t have actual representatives of the people making decisions like that.
The Republican thinking goes something like this:
Have we seen Justice Johnson’s long, long form birth certificate? It’s not that we’re racists, it’s just that we don’t believe she’s qualified to do the job because her time serving the court is not as good as the white guy who served less time. It doesn’t count, see? She’s gonna have to prove through many, many courts that she is valid. And in reality, we really, really don’t want to be ruled by black people, because they will not agree with being suppressed by our laws, and that would be a real drag. Things work out so much better when the feds stay out of our business, and let us run things like we want to. Y’all might think black people have rights, but down here, we know how to keep ‘em in their place.
And their place is most assuredly not in the White House or as Chief Justice.
Southern strategy? We’re not racists! We love the coloreds. We just don’t want them in charge of anything. Especially after Barack Obama humiliated the white boys with his competency in cleaning up after their mess and then had the audacity to own it, taking even remote, proxy credit for making the decision to get bin Laden. We draw the line at letting the coloreds take credit for their work. They have to know their place. But it’s not about race; it’s about state’s rights to impose racial discrimination. Get it?
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Anne
Sep. 8th, 2012 at 5:29 pm
Just 50 years ago, Jindhal himself would never have been remotely considered for any political position, much less as governor. So, he needs to be mindful of the fact that he is NOT white. He’s one of those members of racial minorities who want to be on the side they consider the winning one, so they adopt all the biases and behaviors of the folks they have an unwarranted reverence for. There have been people from India of the Sikh religion who have been murdered by racists in this country. One was killed in Arizona right after the 9-11 incident. His killer was tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. Then, there was the recent incident in Wisconsin at a Sikh place of worship. So, Jindhal need not think that the bigotry he obviously shares with these other folks insulates him either.
Donna
Sep. 8th, 2012 at 5:50 pm
I’m sure he doesn’t think it insulates him. That is why he is butt kissing the white majority. If he acts like one of them, surely they will like him. They will, as long as his lips stay firmly planted on their white hineys.
Reynardine
Sep. 8th, 2012 at 5:39 pm
Basically, Chee-Chee wants to be the only dark meat on the plate of southern fried chicken.
Shiva (Moderator)
Sep. 8th, 2012 at 5:59 pm
Possibly Jindal doesn’t remember there are city streets he shouldn’t walk down at night cause he is a minority. He is one of what he fights against.
MSG CAPERS (RET.) STILL SERVING
Sep. 8th, 2012 at 6:54 pm
jindhal and his family just recently got off the camels back, yet he pulls a racist card like this?
as shiva above me stated, there are streets that he & his family would be run up a flag pole, lest he forgets to look in the mirror!!
Shiva (Moderator)
Sep. 8th, 2012 at 8:08 pm
Jindal was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. There are no camels in India where his parents are from. While he appears to be a flaming bigot, he has worked in government for quite some time.
Ebony
Sep. 9th, 2012 at 3:52 am
And he still ain’t white. Don’t mean to sound so strait forward but I’m being honest.
Alan
Sep. 8th, 2012 at 7:10 pm
George Wallace would be proud…
Bob Williams
Sep. 8th, 2012 at 7:50 pm
These self-righteous Rep ub robates. You just can’t make this stuff up!
Mark Brewster (@1dangerouself)
Sep. 8th, 2012 at 7:57 pm
In his efforts to be a “good Republican” (while there may BE such a thing, I wonder why you’d WANT that title), Jindal is “out-whiting” the racist whites who pull his strings.
This is sickening…and I am one who’s taken at face value for “white”. (But I invoke the “one-drop rule” on the racists of all colors — I’m a red man, as much so as the new prez of the Cherokee Nation)
Ebony
Sep. 9th, 2012 at 3:56 am
And I’m black and I can see how he’s totally being used. I remember a friend of mine in college (who happens to be white) said that the GOP use people such as Bobby Jindal, Herman Cain, and Michael Steele to say things about Pres. Obama that they can’t say. Another thing is that it’s funny how all these “so-called” black republicans are all of sudden coming out. Where were they before?
Christopher
Sep. 8th, 2012 at 9:47 pm
I think the federal government overreached on this one to begin with. If offices within a state are elected it is for the people to decide who fills them, provided that minorities are not barred from seeking election in the first place.
majii
Sep. 9th, 2012 at 2:07 am
The federal court definitely had jurisdiction in this case because of the agreement LA had with the federal government over racial discrimination in Judge Johnson’s case. Many southern states still have to receive the approval of the Department of Justice on some issues like voter ID laws due to their history of making laws that deprive some groups of their civil rights. Jindal was attempting to violate the agreement the state had with the federal government. This is clearly a matter of the state refusing to do the right thing, so Judge Johnson’s only recourse was to seek justice in federal court. What would you have advised her to do since it was obvious that Jindal was intent on violating his own state’s laws to deny her a position which she earned through her seniority? Had she not appealed to the federal district court, the only thing she could have done was roll over and allow Jindal to have his way even though she, and he, knew it would have been the wrong thing to do. It would also have allowed Jindal to thumb his nose at the agreement the state has with the federal government regarding racial discrimination. Sometimes it’s easy for those who have never had to deal with the things that others in this country have had to deal with to take the side of the party that is clearly in the wrong.
AZZIZA
Sep. 9th, 2012 at 12:11 am
Bobby Jindal, wants to be white…but he is not, he thinks him self better than African Americans…and he is East Indian, people are really poor in his native land…go in there store’s they are higher than anyone else…he should remember if it was not for the African Americans, his people would not have had the freedom to come to this country…I watched his face when President Obama came down during the oil spill…if looks could kill…he is a hater !!!
Ebony
Sep. 9th, 2012 at 3:57 am
Preach on sister!
Ebony
Sep. 9th, 2012 at 3:58 am
And he wants to be accepted.
Ingrid Buxton
Sep. 9th, 2012 at 9:42 am
It has always amazed me that some of those who are discriminated against will be first in line to discriminate against others. 40+ years ago while in grad school I had to use equipment in a lab run by a male professor. There was a picture of a big busted woman (only the bust showing) in a wet T-shirt on the refrigerator. When I complained to my fellow grad students, a Jewish guy, a gay guy and a very short guy they couldnt see anything wrong with that. Well until the Jewish guy’s wife verbally whacked him upside the head. Every year at Seder we are admonished that we must fight for the rights of all, not just ourselves. Too right.
Marilyn Cardosi
Sep. 9th, 2012 at 10:55 am
Bobby Jindal has been the biggest disappointment in Louisiana politics since Edwin Edwards. People really believed in him and overwhelmingly elected him as Governor. Then he got the nod from his beloved Republicans to give a rebuttal of one of President Obama’s first speeches to the nation. He looked like Mr. Rogers spouting nonsense. He had apparently written his speech before even listening to the President and nothing he said was relevant. He is foolish enough to believe that his white Republican “friends” would actually put him in line for Vice-President on their ticket. He is a token politician (because he is non-white and therefore not a racist as everyone knows),and has done nothing for the people of Louisiana. Being the typical Republican, he forgot about being Governor and started reaching for loftier goals. He is being used by his party but doesn’t seem to care. The man is either incredibly greedy for more attention or just plain stupid. He is a tremendous disappointment.
rikyrah
Sep. 9th, 2012 at 5:50 pm
this doesn’t shock me in the least.