A Blogging Blue reader had given me a heads up on this nasty little turn of events surrounding Justice Bradley’s nasty writings from her days as a under graduate student at Marquette, but I couldn’t do anything with them until I got home from work. But Zachary presented them a little earlier this evening.
But there is something in here that caught my eye:
“To those offended by comments I made as a young college student, I apologize…”
To those offended? As a state supreme court justice you owe ALL of us an apology. There are large numbers of Wisconsinites calling for her resignation…she should take the hint.
Yeah, that line caught my eye as well. What also really bothers me is this idea that because she wrote those vile words two decades ago she shouldn’t be held accountable.
Simple question- does she still believe gay people are immoral second-class citizens not worthy of the same rights as heterosexuals? And would she rule accordingly?
The question is begged, and must be hammered over and over for the next 4 weeks, along with Ms. Bradley Foundation’s complete lack of ethics and shame (ducking out on arguments to kiss up to WMC, posing with an NRA hat and a gun when she has no hunting license, etc.)
I don’t think we could ever really know how she feels now. The right has gotten so good at nuanced bigotry, and anytime someone calls them on it, they use the same vague language about their “worldview” and apologizing for the “content.” They shift the blame to something outside of her.
The only way I could believe her is if she came out and said stuff that might actually lose her votes from the extremes. I want to hear her say that homosexuality doesn’t cause AIDS. I want to hear her say that those AIDS patients deserved her sympathy and compassion, regardless of what may have led to contracting the disease. No amount of back-handed apologies will satisfy me that she no longer feels the way she did back then.
Is “to those offended” some kind of dog-whistle to folks who are still bona fide bigots? Is anybody on the far-far-right (talk radio?) spinning this as a good thing??
The “very young student” thing is also a little weird. It was spring of her Junior Yr; she was 18 months away from starting law school, and had likely already applied. By that point you should have some grasp on being accountable for things you publish in a newspaper.
Lastly, I think the messaging should shift to how Supreme Court Justice isn’t like any other job. If she was applying for a job as an attorney in private practice, or even running for lower elected office, I could maybe see how folks could go along with “it was 20+ yrs ago, and she’s changed her position and apologized.” But, not Supreme Court. NO.
Being on the state’s highest court is a special case, and you absolutely need to be above even the appearance of bias/prejudice. Something you said long ago –prominently, in print– is absolutely fair game for this particular job; and it is utterly and completely disqualifying. Full stop.
So… what did she say to those she didn’t offend?
The evidence was clear, even in the nineties, that drug addiction is a disease and LGBT peoples’ sexual identity is present at birth. Her gross ignorance and proclivity for nasty judgement of people is, in my opinion, more than enough reason to disqualify her as a Supreme Court Justice.
Apologies that are directed to ‘those who were offended’ are not sincere apologies.
I am more offended (now) by her attempt to dismiss her comments with excuses then acknowledgements. Being young is not an excuse. My five and seven year old daughters inquire about and often preach about the wrongs of such positions. If they know the difference between right and wrong at such a “young” age surely a junior in college would. I certainly understand the ignorance behind the statements but what’s sad is believes the voter to be just as ignorantly accepting of her excuses. Shame on Justice Bradley past and present.