Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Kennedy's Shame

"I did never know so full a voice issue from so empty a heart: but the saying is true 'The empty vessel makes the greatest sound". -- William Shakespeare

Well, the Alito confirmation hearings have begun and already Senator Ted Kennedy has embarrassed himself and his party.

To begin with, he has demonstrated that he is so focused on trying to destroy Alito's character, and in the process, Bush's presidency, that he doesn't even know the appointees name.

In his first statement Kennedy announced, "In an era when America is still too divided by race and riches, Judge "Alioto" has not written one single opinion on the merits in favor of a person of color alleging race discrimination on the job. In fifteen years on the bench, not one."

Before I address the obvious false accusation here let me make an observation:

It is my opinion that the mispronunciation of Alito's name was intentional, and I'll tell you why I think so. But first some background.

Has anyone noticed in movies and TV shows that whenever one character seeks to show utter contempt and disrespect to another, and gain a measure of psychological intimidation, that they always call the object of their disrespect by the wrong name? Think about it.

I direct you to the best example I can think of which is the old sitcom, "Bewitched". If you remember, the premise is that a mortal man, named Darrin Stevens, married an immortal witch named Samantha. Samantha's mother, Endora, didn't like Darrin and continually called him any other name than Darrin. Names like Darwin, Darrel, and Dum-dum, etc. It was her way of demonstrating disrespect.

I myself, when I managed a telemarketing office many years ago, would tell my staff not to worry about accidentally calling someone by the wrong name or mispronouncing their name. My reasoning was that it tends to unconsciously intimidate them, and gives you the upper hand at the outset. It is a psychological advantage.

The butchering of Alito's name by Kennedy was intentional. As was my choice of this unflattering picture of Kennedy.

Now, let me address Teddy's direct. He alleges that Alito never issued a single ruling that favors people of color. This is patently absurd. Let's take a look at Alitos alleged racial bias:

* In Zubi v. AT&T Corp., 219 F.3d 220 (3d Cir. 2000), Judge Alito dissented from the majority's holding that a man who claimed he was fired because of his race could not sue in federal court. According to Judge Alito, the plaintiff was entitled to sue because a longer statute of limitations applied. The Supreme Court later vindicated Judge Alito's dissent. See Jones v. Donnelly & Sons Co., 541 U.S. 369 (2004).

* In Goosby v. Johnson & Johnson Medical, Inc., 228 F.3d 313 (3d Cir. 2000), a race and sex discrimination case, Judge Alito reversed the district court's decision to grant summary judgment to the defendant employer. The Third Circuit ruled that the plaintiff, a black woman, had introduced enough evidence to call into doubt the employer's explanation for why she was given lower-quality assignments.

* In Smith v. Davis, 248 F.3d 249 (3d Cir. 2001), an African-American probation officer brought a claim of race and disability discrimination in violation of Title VII and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Judge Alito joined a unanimous decision to reverse the lower court's grant of summary judgment for the defendant employer.

* Judge Alito's dissent in Sheridan v. DuPont, 100 F.3d 1061 (3d Cir. 1996) (en banc), is a principled balancing of the interests of employees and employers, and the Supreme Court later vindicated it.

* Judge Alito interpreted the Supreme Court's holding in a previous case as requiring that a Title VII plaintiff who produces certain evidence ­ i.e., that the employer's stated reason for the employment decision was false ­ should "usually" but not necessarily "always" be permitted to go to trial.

* The Supreme Court agreed with Judge Alito's Sheridan dissent in Reeves v. Sanderson Plumbing Products, Inc., 530 U.S. 133 (2000). Reeves was a unanimous opinion signed by Justice O'Connor ­ whose seat Judge Alito is poised to take.

* In Bray v. Marriott Hotels, 110 F.3d 986 (3d Cir. 1997), Judge Alito would have affirmed the trial court's ruling for the employer because the plaintiff, an African-American woman, had failed to meet her burden of proof under relevant Supreme Court precedent.

* Marriott explained that it promoted a white female instead of the plaintiff because the white female had a higher objective employee rating, had superior experience, and had participated in more seminars and training sessions.

* Judge Alito argued that discrimination claims require evidence of actual discrimination, not just evidence that an employer failed to comply with its own internal procedures.

* Judge Alito has held that prosecutors' efforts to exclude African-Americans from juries is unconstitutional discrimination.

* In Jones v. Ryan, 987 F.2d 960 (3d Cir. 1993), an African-American defendant was convicted in Pennsylvania court of robbery and criminal conspiracy; at trial, the prosecutor used peremptory challenges to exclude three African-Americans from the jury. Judge Alito joined a unanimous opinion holding that the prosecutor had discriminated against the potential jurors on the basis of race, and granting the defendant habeas relief.

* In Brinson v. Vaughn, 398 F.3d 225 (3d Cir. 2005), an African-American defendant was convicted of first-degree murder in Pennsylvania court and sentenced to life in prison. The prosecutor had used 13 out of 14 peremptory challenges against African-American potential jurors, and Judge Alito held that this pattern raised an inference of discrimination.


Kennedy knows these facts, too. He is just banking on the ignorance of the American people. He has learned the Liberal agenda well.

Liberals think we are stupid!

Ted Kennedy has once again demonstrated that he is not the least bit interested in facts, only in denigrating and disrespecting Conservatives.

Here's a bonus quote:

"It's quite amazing; he's the grand inquisitor, and he's never answered a question about Chappaquiddick since 1968".
-- Fox News Legal Contributor Liz Trotta, on Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA).

I think it's time for Teddy to consider an alternative line of work. Perhaps He could get a job as an instructor for the YMCA, teaching swimming. He seems to be proficient in that.

Mary Jo Kopechne, as usual, could not be reached for comment.

19 comments:

None said...

Wait.. you're pissed that he mispronounced a name? Perhaps that comes from his accent.

Francis Lynn said...

Kennedy is a drunken waste product. He lost his moral authority & righteousness on that Mass. brige. He is beneath contempt. I turn the channel when the fat slug slimes up the tv screen. But other than that, he's a swell guy.

juanitagf said...

Very well written. Did Shakespeare know Teddy?!

Lone Ranger said...

Liberals don't think we are stupid. They KNOW other liberals are stupid. That's why liberal leaders say such outrageous things. They know their followers don't have the knowledge or the sense to question it. I got a snotty little email from a liberal today who quoted from The Daily Show. That was his only source of knowledge, apparently. I sent him my list of ways to know if you\'re a liberal. He never got back to me.

Erudite Redneck said...

1. Tell it to the people of Massachusetts. He is their "problem."

2. There is no 2.

tugboatcapn said...

No, ER.

As long as He is in Washington, he is everyone's problem.

Teddy Kennedy is THE best argument for term limits that I can think of, and the state of Massachusetts should be invaded and the people who live there re-educated for the crime of inflicting him on the rest of us for all these years.

What America needs right now is another Jesse Helms to balance the likes of Kennedy out a little bit.

Anonymous said...

Bush is a drunken waste product. He lost his moral authority & righteousness on that day in September. He is beneath contempt. I turn the channel when the dumb slug slimes up the tv screen. But other than that, he's a swell guy.

Anonymous said...

No, ER.

As long as He is in Washington, he is everyone's problem.

George Bush is THE best argument for aristocracies that I can think of, and the state of Texas should be invaded and the people who live there re-educated for the crime of inflicting him on the rest of us for all these years.

What America needs right now is another Abramoff scandal to balance the likes of the GOP out a little bit.

Erudite Redneck said...

Rick Santorum. There's yer "balance." What a waste of a Senate seat.

tugboatcapn said...

Yep.

And John McCain, and Lindsey Graham, and John Warner, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, Michael DeWine, and Lincoln Chafee...

What pathetic wastes of Senate seats...

tugboatcapn said...

I take back my original statement.

We don't need Jesse helms back...

Who we need back is Zell Miller, and twenty more Democrats like him.

Some Democrats who will tell lunk-heads like Kennedy to sit down, and shut up.

Erudite Redneck said...

Dude, even I respect Lindsey Graham, even though Dr. ER will always despise him because he hounding of Clinton.

I respect him because 1., he's a true conservative first, not a right-winger,; 2., he puts the country ahead of his party when necessarry; 3., he puts the Senate on equal footing with the blasted presidency, as it should be.

McCain has bigger balls than anyone else ever has had in D.C. in my lifetime.

You just don't like the rest because you think they're RINO's. Hee hee. Y'all wanted yer dang tent big. That's what you get.

Poison Pero said...

Mark, that picture was BS........You really must put a warning label on posts showing Teddy in all his glory.

I almost went blind........

And someone should tell The Killa it's not appropriate to carry his orange beer bong around.

Poison Pero said...

Hey ER, do I understand you right in assuming you'd support a John McCain run for the President?

Would you vote for him over Hillary??

Mark said...

John McCain only does and says what he believes will get him votes. He has no position of his own, much like HillBillary.

If he is speaking to a Conservative audience, he is Conservative. If he is speaking to a Liberal audience, he is a Liberal. If he is speaking to a middle of the road audience, he is middle of the road.

And sometimes I think Lindsey Graham is the same way. Although I like both of them, I don't trust either of them.

If they were elected President, no one would know what we're getting until it's too late. They are a crap shoot.

I'd rather have to choose between a hard line Conservative and a hard line Liberal than someone whose ideology is all over the board. At least you know where they stand.

Poison Pero said...

I hear ya about McCain, but I'd still rather have him than any Liberal.

He is a crap-shoot, but he's still 70-30 Conservative, and would be stong on National Defense.

I hate defending this man, but he's way better than the Liberal option, even though not as good as many Conservatives.

Goat said...

We do get a view in these hearings from the bottom of his gin bottle.
I agree with Tug, the DNC needs more Scoop Jacksons and Zell Millers and fewer Russ Fiengolds,Durbins ,Schumers and most of all Clintons. We beed a viable party system, I'd vote for a Dem if they had something to offer besides higher taxes, infanticide, and surrender to the most extreme of religious groups, islamo-fascism.

Dionne said...

Great post!! I did a Conservative Profile on Alito today and I'm going to do a liberal one on Kennedy sometime this week. Chappaquiddick happened before I and many others were born and I don't think a lot of people know about his sordid past.

You come up with the best quotes. I loved the Shakespeare one for Kennedy, can't say it any better than that.

Erudite Redneck said...

I can see me voting for McCain in some extreme circumstance.