Balls and Walnuts
more than you ever wanted to know
Nine scary (and clueless) old (and not so old) men (and women)
Our Supreme Court Justices are living in the 1950s.
“What’s the difference between email and a pager?”
Read the article — this was not the only question indicating a mind-vacuum. Scalia and Kennedy tripped over each other’s boners*, and of course Thomas never asks questions.
I could understand if it was one or two of the older Justices who were ignorant, but no — Chief Justice Roberts asked the email v. pager question. And he’s only 55!
It’s frightening that the highest court in the land is making decisions on matters they understand as well as I understand quantum chromodynamics. I told Karen they should recuse themselves from the case; Karen thinks they should recuse themselves from the human race.
D.
*Obligatory apology for that image.
Walnut, April 21, 2010. Category: eConfusion, Food, Memoirist BS, Mishpucha (mi familia), Political rants.
What a short and useless article. I would want more infobefore passing judgement on their knowledge of tech. And besides, even if they are ignorant – ignorance is curable. Looks to me like they’re trying to cure it with the questions.
Here’s an interesting discussion of the issue http://www.internetevolution.com/author.asp?section_id=697&doc_id=190820&f_src=internetevolution_gnews I do think it is important to remember that the Justices cannot be experts on every subject. They can always look to experts for guidance in areas where they do not have expertise, and electronic communication being one such area. Above all, Justices need to be just, fair and wise. There is a big difference between smart and wise. Are they always? Your opinion of the Justices depends on your own idea of what is just, fair and wise.
I’m not totally pig-headed. I will admit defeat if the final majority decision indicates that the justices have cured their ignorance through questioning.
They need to learn a mountain of information to come to an informed decision. Of course, their law clerks are probably not as ignorant and they are almost certainly writing the opinions. I say “probably” because the justices made the clerks sign confidentiality agreements after The Brethren was published.
I just find it disconcerting that our lives are held hostage to the opinions of ignorant (or at least out-of-touch) individuals.