Letter to the Editor

June 4, 2009

M. McMurrey

Just when you think you have heard it all, there is more.  The Republican party has failed time and again to stand on the party planks, and failed to listen to the voices of the members of the party, the voters, whom they are allegedly supposed to represent.  NOW we cannot even be assured that our voices are being heard, when it is our own voice, in Washington DC.  

The Senate Judiciary Committee is hoping to make fast moves today, while under the smoke screen of Obama's support of Muslim rights and his selection of Sotomayor for Supreme Court.  In a sly, fast moving pace they are hoping to confirm Judge David Hamilton.  FORGET YOUR VOICE!  They are NOT listening!!  I made phone calls to each and every Senate Judiciary Committee member's office this morning.  When I called Sen. Schumer's office, after I spoke my piece, "Please give this message to the Senator.  Oppose and Filibuster, if necessary, the confirmation of Judge David Hamilton.  The man should never have been allowed to become a judge to begin with.  He does not support our Constitutional Rights of Freedom of Religion for all. He doesn't support the rights of Christians, and thus should never be confirmed."  I was then asked for my zip code.  I responded with it.  After making 3 more calls, the call to Sen Cornyn's office resulted in the same request and it dawned on me that my message was being screened.

I asked the person on the other end of the line, from Cornyn's office if it mattered what my zip code was and the response was "YES".  If it wasn't from the Senator's state the message was not going to be conveyed.   I was stunned!  I stated to them that since the Senator is on the Senate Judiciary Committee, he was representing the entire country in decisions being made and thus had no right to screen any messages regarding issues before that committee!  The staff member then relented and seemed to take my message!

I received the same treatment with staff from Senator Klobuchar's office!  I then called back to Sen. Schumer's office.  I requested that the staffer find my previous message to the Senator.  He could NOT find it!!! I then informed him that he and the Senator had no right to screen calls for the issues before the Judiciary Committee, that I wanted my message directed to the Senator immediately and a confirmation of his having received it.  I left my mailing address, and informed the staffer that I was going to be reporting this.

In the past 2 years, any time I have taking the time to voice my opinions or request someone in DC to take notice of certain matters by email, I get an automated email response or snail-mail letter (even from my own legislators) and wonder where the black hole is that contains all the unread emails that everyone of us has sent to make our voice heard.  Are those emails echoing off the dark cavernous walls of oblivion?  Are the FAXes falling off the machine and into the large garbage receptacle right beside it?? Today's events make it obvious that even my REAL VOICE on the phone does not seem to make or have an impact.  My messages are being screened by staffers who may, or may not be following an "office policy"  or just functioning on their own non-objective whims.  Is this WHY I voted for legislators to be in office?  To be paid a large sum of money to make decisions about our state and country that will not even represent me, my family, our needs or our rights??  Decisions they hope to make quickly BEFORE the voters in the country hear about the issue and voice a concern, before they can be held accountable?

I have totally and completely lost faith in the Republican Party, and now in the system and how we are to reach our legislators!  No one is listening!!  

I hereby publicly put ALL Senators and Representatives of the UNITED STATES on notice!!!  

Do not forget WHO put you where you are, WHO you are supposed to represent, and WHAT you are placed in Washington DC to do!  It is NOT for the pork, the power, the control or the wealth.  You are there to represent the people of THIS country!!  You are here to stand up for OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS!  How dare you spurn the voice of those you are elected to represent!  How dare you spurn the Constitution, you are meant to uphold!!

DO NOT CONFIRM Judge David Hamilton (who ruled that it is illegal to pray in Jesus name, but okay to pray to Allah), who does NOT stand on my constitutional rights of religious freedom, and who will deny me my right to pray to God or express my views, over the rights of his Muslim friends/counterparts!  This man is racist and prejudiced by such a stand against my religion which was in this country before Muslims ever were.  If the Senate Judiciary Committee confirms such a man or anyone else taking such a stand, they do not stand on the Constitution of the United States of America and are not worthy of the position they are holding.

We will NOT be ignored!  We will NOT go away!  If you VALUE your office, then VALUE our voice!

M. McMurrey

The Heartland

MY Senator, Dick Durbin (sigh), just replied to my email:

Thank you for contacting me about David Hamilton's nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7^th Circuit. I appreciate hearing from you.

Judge Hamilton currently serves as Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. He has 14 years of experience on the federal bench, having been first nominated in 1994 and apparently by a voice vote in the Senate. The American Bar Association rates him unanimously "well qualified" to sit on the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Critics of his nomination accuse him of being radical in his jurisprudence. However, according to Geoffrey Slaughter, the President of the conservative Indiana Federalist Society, Judge Hamilton has exhibited a "first rate intellect" and a judicial philosophy "well within the mainstream" throughout his time on the federal bench. In addition, his nomination is "enthusiastically" supported by Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana.

I will keep your views in mind as the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which I am a member, considers Judge Hamilton's nomination.

Thank you again for contacting me. Please feel free to keep in touch.

Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator

However, Durbin omitted something very important from Geoffrey Slaughter's quote, and the quote was only meant as an introduction to him as a speaker, not in the context of consideration for the Court of Appeals.

"I regard Judge Hamilton as an excellent jurist with a first-rate intellect," said Geoffrey Slaughter, a lawyer in Indianapolis. "He is unfailingly polite to lawyers. He asks tough questions to both sides, and he is very smart. His judicial philosophy is left of center, but well within the mainstream, between the 30-yard lines."

The Federalist Society invited Hamilton to speak at its January meeting in Indianapolis, Slaughter said. In praising the judge, Slaughter said he spoke only for himself, not for the organization.

Article ...

I forwarded the Durbin email to Mr. Slaughter to see if he has anything to say about it.  This should be interesting.

Funny how what you get in return is their "talking points" and opinion. Yet they they thank you for contacting them and "will keep your views in mind". How's that possible?

They've been ignoring people for so long, and technolgy seems to give them the means.

In the news:
CNN’s Campbell Brown labeled Michael Steele’s remarks on Sotomayer “inflammatory”. Does she call Sotomayer’s repeated statements inflammatory? She is the one getting a lifetime appointment and the one who made race-laden assertions. Though they conveniently label criticism with her statements as “inflammatory”.

Received reply from Geoffrey Slaughter

I received a response from Mr. Slaughter.  He said, speaking for himself and not the Federalist Society, that Senator Durbin got it right, that he does support Judge Hamilton's nomination, and that Hamilton will make an excellent addition to the court.