Judge Brenda Branch in Halifax County, N.C., was not satisfied with simply sentencing Tonie Marie King, 21, for drunk and disorderly. So Branch sentenced her to write an essay entitled “How a Lady Should Behave in Public.” As with most shaming or novel sentences, Branch was instantly a national celebrity receiving praise from people for caring enough to fashion her own brand of justice. I am not one of them. As many of you know, I have long been a critic of such sentencing where judges seem to merge law and entertainment to the thrill of citizens. Judges are not appointed or elected to instruct women on being ladies like some Miss Manners issuing advice from a criminal docket.
I have repeatedly written against the use of shaming and novel sentencing by judges around the country (here and here and here). Judges often thrill the public by imposing their own forms of justices — departing from conventional criminal sentences to force people to clean courtrooms with toothbrushes, wear demeaning placards, or carry out publicly humiliating tasks. These judges often develop a taste for such power and the public acclaim that unfortunately comes from humiliating people.
As with other judges imposing her own flavor of justice, Branch sentenced the woman and then took to the air for interviews. She explained “We don’t have a whole lot of resources out here, so I try to be creative.”
King had pleaded guilty to being drunk and disruptive as well as resisting a police officer outside a convenience store. She was also accused of stealing a beer before struggling with a police officer. That does not seem like a problem with being “a lady” but being a felon.
However, Branch wanted the woman to do what she wanted as opposed what the criminal code states. So she sentenced King to 45 days in jail and suspended the sentence in lieu of a one-year supervised probation and her essay. Branch has previously made kids write essays but now is branching out to adults. In Fairfax county, ladies need to act more like Lady Halifax who was not seen stealing grog or kicking police officers in the eighteenth century.
The suspended sentence is the common tactic used for these judges. Citizens who want to avoid jail have to consent to the novel sentencing and thereby ruin their chances for appeal. They get to stay out of jail, the judge gets to appear in the newspaper, and the public gets to enjoy the story. No one seems concern over how different judges may define a proper lady and how such notions can invite sexist or cultural bias. Consider the lessons on raising a lady by Pastor Jack Hyles :
“The women’s liberation notwithstanding most men still want someone ladylike and feminine for a wife. To be sure, all good Christian men want submissive, feminine, ladylike, and godly wives. Yet, we live in a society which wants to homogenize the sexes.”
Pastor Hyles offers a variety of pieces of advice:
1. Dress her like a girl. Let her have long hair. Let her wear lace and ribbons. Do not let her wear that which pertaineth to a man. Deuteronomy 22:5 says, “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.”
2. Teach her strict obedience. . . . Whereas the boy is being trained to be a leader, the girl is being trained to be a follower. Hence, obedience is far more important to her, for she must someday transfer it from her parents to her husband.
3. She should not be allowed to play alone with boys. . . .She should participate in sports enough to become coordinated but she should not excel in sports. If later she marries a man who is very athletic, she could become more proficient in some particular sport that he enjoys, but if she becomes an expert in a sport that is usually associated with men and boys, it could prove embarrassing to her future husband, and for that matter, it could entice her to become more masculine than she ought to be.
. . .
5. Teach her to be an intelligent listener and an articulate conversationalist. She should read a variety of good books and magazines and have a wide variety of knowledge. . . This means that she should learn all she can about everything, especially things that interest men. For example, she should know football, but she should not play it. There is nothing a man wants any more than to be understood by an intelligent listener.
Well you get the idea . . .
These novel sentences are increasing because the media loves these stories and fuels the trend with publicity for the judges. It is a symbiotic relationship that is undermining the quality of justice in this country.
It is not clear if Lyle Lovett appeared as a witness at the proceedings:
Source: LA Times
The rule of law is more important than some nitwit making it up as they go along.
[quote] I have long been a critic of such sentencing where judges seem to merge law and entertainment to the thrill of citizens. [/quote]
Yeah, the defendent should be forced to spend a year in prison or or on probation instead of a novel sentencing that saves everyone a ton of money and allows the defendent freedom.
After all what’s more important Freedom/money or a traditional sentencing?
Why am I not surprised?
“WASHINGTON — North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (R) said he would sign into law a controversial anti-abortion bill if it reaches his desk, despite a 2012 campaign promise to oppose new abortion restrictions.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/12/pat-mccrory-motorcycle-abortion-bill_n_3588466.html
Tampon confiscation! ? Half baked plan just like the rest of their deliberations. What? They were afraid the women were going to throw them at the Legislators? Hahahahaha.
What their confiscation means is that now an extra -EXTRA- pi**ed-off bunch of gals are going to still have a lot of used ones they’re going to have to get rid of ‘somewhere’. Uh oh.
Darren,
It’s actually WTFHP–We Take Feminine Hygiene Paraphernalia.
Swarthmore mom,
Thanks.
*****
Tampons Seized In Security Checks At Texas Abortion Debate
CHRIS TOMLINSON
July 12, 2013
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/tampons-seized-in-security-checks-at-texas-abortion-debate.php
Excerpt:
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Democrats in the Texas Senate on Friday questioned whether proposed abortion restrictions are constitutional and whether they would make it more difficult for women in the state to obtain health care.
Democrats grilled the Republican author of a bill that has prompted fervent demonstrations and put Texas at the center of the nation’s abortion debate. Following Friday’s debate, the Senate was scheduled to vote on the tough abortion restrictions and could send the bill to Republican Gov. Rick Perry, who has said he will sign it.
As senators debated, they could clearly hear hundreds of protesters outside of the chamber in the Capitol rotunda cheering, chanting and singing, “We’re not going to take it anymore.”
The circus-like atmosphere in the Texas Capitol marked the culmination of weeks of protests, the most dramatic of which came June 25 in the final minutes of the last special legislative session when a Democratic filibuster and subsequent protest prevented the bill from becoming law. Abortion-rights advocates dressed in orange Friday, some carrying gynecological devices and signs, while anti-abortion activists wore blue and held images of fetuses and Bible verses.
House Bill 2 would require doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, allow abortions only in surgical centers, limit where and when women may take abortion-inducing pills and ban abortions after 20 weeks. Only five out of 42 existing abortion clinics meet the requirements to be a surgical center, and clinic owners say they can’t afford to upgrade or relocate.
Sen. Glen Hegar of Katy, the bill’s Republican author, argued that all abortions, including those induced with medications, should take place in an ambulatory surgical center in case of complications.
Democrats pointed out that childbirth is more dangerous than an abortion and there have been no serious problems with women taking abortion drugs at home. They also planned to introduce numerous amendments to add exceptions for cases of rape and incest and to remove some of the more restrictive clauses.
Sen. Rodney West, a Dallas Democrat, asked why Hegar was pushing restrictions that federal courts in other states had suspended as possibly unconstitutional. The measures under consideration Friday mirror restrictions passed in Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Alabama, Kansas, Wisconsin and Arizona.
I read about the Texas Tampon Terroristas allegation (or is it allegory) and all I too can say is WTF.
What wonk came up with that idea? Anything can be thrown over the gallery walls. If someone does then address it accordingly. But this is not only outrageous it is plain stupid.
It almost demands the tampons be smuggled in. Wonder if men are prohibited for carrying such contraband?
Considering what these TX neanderthals have been doing, I suspect they only see tampons and pads in light of how they affect them, not their use by women. Or do they see the vagina as theirs to do with as they please, like a receptacle for an ultrasound probe. I would add their own dinkie-winkies but I doubt they have one, otherwise, why would they be such hmmmmm with their legislation. (sorry, couldn’t think of word that would get through the censor.
Should be quotation marks around the Daily Kos comment.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t (4+ / 0-)
demand the women have a vaginal probe before entry.
The biggest WTF, though, is
Handguns – OK
Tampons and peri-pads – must be surrendered
That says it all about the goons that infest the Republican controlled Texas State Legislature. From OS’s Daily Kos article
Blog: Borowitz Report
Texas Weighs Ban on Women
Republican lawmakers in the Texas State Senate are proposing a precedent-setting new bill that would make it illegal for women to live in the state.
by Andy Borowitz
The comments in David’s post are worth reading. Of course, there are one or two prudes who have trouble dealing with the snarknado that ensues.
David Harris Gershon has posted the story from Texas on Daily Kos. I notice one of his tags is “not the Onion.”
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/12/1223118/-Police-Make-Women-Throw-Out-Tampons-Before-Entering-TX-Senate-Gallery-While-Allowing-Concealed-Guns
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/35724123 Here is some footage, Elaine. Some of the legislators and other men are walking in with guns in their holsters. I am having hardwood floors redone right now and then a little more painting and the house goes on the market. The market is better here but not hot like it is in some places so who knows? Hopefully by Oct. 1, we will be living in another state. Our daughter is moving on around Aug 15.
I keep hearing circus music . . .
Swarthmore mom,
Excerpt from the MSNBC article:
But as debate begins in the state Senate on sweeping restrictions to reproductive rights, tampons are being confiscated. No, seriously.
Women are being forced to throw out tampons and maxi pads to enter the Senate gallery, which has been confirmed by DPS. […]
However, people with concealed handgun licenses are allowed to bypass long lines to enter the Gallery through the expedited CHL entrance, and per DPS, if a person has a CHL, they can take their gun into the gallery.
*****
The women should bring in “concealed” tampons.
BTW, when will you be moving away from “the deep end?”
Raff,
Not everyone in Texas agrees with the GOP agenda…. Hence not everyone has gone off the deep end…. Some are just there naturally regardless….
Nice letter Darren!
Swarthmore,
You are right about the deep end in Texas!
When tampons are considered more dangerous than loaded firearms, I think it’s safe to say Texas Republicans have gone completely off the deep end.
http://on.msnbc.com/12mhOo6