Judge's Dress Code

Here comes another attention-grabbing judge from Alabama. Not Roy Moore this time, but Ashley McKathan, who decided to embroider the Ten Commandments to his robe. I'm guessing he's seen the relative popularity that Roy Moore has had, and has decided to follow in his footsteps.

Since when to judges get to decorate their robes anyway? The position of a judge is supposed to be marked with formality and decorum. If we let this go, how long until we see tattered denim robes, or maybe judges wearing those huge rapper chains? Oh! How about political buttons? The ninth circuit could have worn Kerry-Edwards buttons?

And that ignores the entire separation of church and state thing. Look, I know that people like to point out that the words "Separation of Church and State" don't appear in the Constitution, but it's A) the accepted interpretation of the law and B) a good idea. The government doesn't need to be showing favor to any religion. (That includes Christianity, and Islam, and Judaism, and Mormonism, and Buddhism, and so on.)

Imagine that you're a Muslim, and that you're on trial for murdering a Baptist pastor and his family. (Let's also imagine that you're innocent.) Now, Judge Designer Ward-Robe comes out, sporting his gold Ten Commandments. Do you really feel like you're going to be getting a fair trial?

Anyways: I'm reasonably certain this activist judge is just after a little of the same Roy Moore fame, which means I probably shouldn't be talking about him. I'm just not looking forward to hearing about this guy talked about as a hero for the next several weeks in church.

Posted by Blog Jones at December 15, 2004 04:46 PM | Category: Politics