# Happy Dance! Moron ALA chief justice suspended from office! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 23, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073 "2003-08-23T01:45:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Beryl\_Mooncalf\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9f8e36/32.png) [@Beryl\_Mooncalf\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beryl_Mooncalf_1)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073/21 "2003-08-23T22:16:07Z")
> [@](#): > > _ **wring** states in his post above…_ those who work to get into the judiciary are a proud lot, and public censure from within is considered to be a very serious thing. Kind of like being put through the **wring _er_**?? eh, sir.😃 ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073/22 "2003-08-23T22:22:29Z")
Thanks for the recommendations and misdirections. I was in Washington DC during the Blizzard of 1996, and found out that lots of snow and ice bother me a lot less than most Alabamians. Scandanavian amazons, hmmmm. Y’know from what I’ve read and seen of the Pacific Northwest, it does catch my interest more and more, so Oregon might be a possibility. And **invylass** , most polls I’ve seen and the people I talk suggest that the citizens of the state favor having the monument there, but mostly from a knee-jerk reaction point of view. They hear “Ten Commandments” and think removing the monument is an assault on religious belief, or I hear comments like, “but the Ten Commandments are a good thing, why would anyone want to take them out,” without understanding the real argument concerning church and state separation and whether the chief justice of a state supreme court is bound by his oath of office to obey the court orders of higher courts. I also hear people for whom any discussion of the subject leads to mentions of “moral decline in our country” and reactionary arguments about "“In God We Trust’ is on our money, then don’t spend it then if you don’t like God.” Of course, since my beliefs are on the other side of the issue, favoring removal of the monument and the separation of church and state, apply grain of salt and YMMV as needed. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073/23 "2003-08-23T22:35:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GMRyujin \* > \*\*Georgia’s not as stupid. Well, the Atlanta area is not as bad as most of Alabama. I don’t know about South Georgia. > > Seriously, Alabamans love them some Jaysus. There are about 8 All Jesus All The Time radio stations. \*\* _Only_ 8? Hell, **Nashville** ’s got that many of the damned things! ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073/24 "2003-08-23T22:38:26Z")
So, how come there is not a push to remove “In God We Trust” from the money? ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073/25 "2003-08-23T22:45:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Beryl\_Mooncalf \* > \*\*Kind of like being put through the **wring _er_**?? eh, sir.😃 \*\* nyuck nyuck. (only I’m a “ma’am”, not that it really makes a difference here, but I like to clear up that misconception when I see it)\> ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073/26 "2003-08-23T22:53:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ivylass \* > \*\*So, how come there is not a push to remove “In God We Trust” from the money? \*\* There was an athiest organization which was pushing to do that some years ago, however, I haven’t heard much about it lately. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073/27 "2003-08-23T23:01:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ivylass \* > \*\*So, how come there is not a push to remove “In God We Trust” from the money? \*\* It would be nice to get rid of, but doesn’t strike me as being as important as the monument in the courthouse. The 10 Commandments monument in a courthouse is endorsing judeo-christian morality as a basis for legal decisions, which is a blatant violation of the doctrine of seperation of church and state. On the other hand, having “In God we trust” on currency doesn’t endorse any particular religion, and doesn’t affect our monetary policy in any way. It’s a decoration. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073/28 "2003-08-23T23:14:05Z")
Plus considering the currency is but pieces of paper and shiny base metals, backed by the “full faith and credit” of the government, we might as well pray it’s worth something 😉 > [@](#): > > (though - judges don’t often IME, leave judicial placements to go on to other less secure venues) Is the Allabammer judiciary all-elective, all-the-way? If the judiciary is non-tenured, then he would feel no less secure in any other post. ---
**Author:** ![Mac\_Guffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mac\_Guffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mac_Guffin)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073/29 "2003-08-23T23:14:15Z")
Right. I doesn’t say _which_ god that we trust. Could be Chtulu for all we know. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073/30 "2003-08-23T23:26:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JRDelirious \* > \*\*Is the Allabammer judiciary all-elective, all-the-way? If the judiciary is non-tenured, then he would feel no less secure in any other post. \*\* Disclaimer: I do not live in 'bammy, but I’m quite observant of politics in general. Various political offices such as governor, mayor, pres, state reps etc. there’s a distinct advantage (generally) to being the incumbant. ain’t _nuttin_ compared to the incumbacy factor for judges. In my little corner of the world, the **only** times I’ve \*\*ever \*\* seen judges voted out of office were: A. Judge one who was convicted of attempting to get ID fraudulently shortly before the election (and coincidentally, I’m certain, prior to his seperation from his wife). He was convicted of a misdemeanor, claimed that he was merely ‘testing the system’. B. Judge two, who, while in Nevada, decided to go to the Mustang Ranch. How do I know??? well, 'cause he also decided to stiff the cabby for the ride out there and the cabby, knowing he was a judge back here in MI, went to the press. Said former judge is now advertising his legal services in the local want ads. C. Judge three who was convicted of a misdemeanor involving drunken, threatening phone calls to his former spouse. He wasn’t re-elected, either, but that’s probably a good thing since he was then convicted in federal court of accepting bribes. Those are the only three incumbant judges who I can recall loosing an election in the past 25 years. So unless a judge renders lots of verdicts/sentences that get a lot of publicity and also anger the public, it’s been my experience that they’re judges until they get promoted, quit, or die. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073/31 "2003-08-24T02:14:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GMRyujin \* > \*\*Seriously, Alabamans love them some Jaysus. There are about 8 All Jesus All The Time radio stations. \*\* Having taken more than my share of road trips, I can assure you that it is impossible to cross the country on any route without at least one christian station _always_ being available for one’s listening pleasure. The same cannot be said for decent rock/alternative music. Just who is being repressed around here? ---
**Author:** ![robertliguori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@robertliguori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robertliguori)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073/32 "2003-08-24T02:37:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by ivylass > So, how come there is not a push to remove “In God We Trust” from the money? Well, as long as some users of US currency trust in God, it’s technically true. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073/33 "2003-08-24T03:04:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by This Year’s Model \* > \*\*Having taken more than my share of road trips, I can assure you that it is impossible to cross the country on any route without at least one christian station _always_ being available for one’s listening pleasure. The same cannot be said for decent rock/alternative music. Just who is being repressed around here? \*\* “Help! Help! I’m being repressed! Come see the repression inherent in the system!” ---
**Author:** ![Nocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@Nocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nocturne)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073/34 "2003-08-24T03:08:41Z")
I’m an Alabamian and I hate the sumbitch. I think he’s a grandstanding, hypocritical waste of skin and I wouldn’t vote for him if it meant he would go to hell forever. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073/35 "2003-08-24T04:58:13Z")
Not that the “In God we trust” thing on money doesn’t count but from my admittedly jaded point of view, there’s picking battles. As long as money spends okay for everyday uses I’m willing to overlook deeper symbolism. Courts are where principles are where principle get applied to messy human realities. The few times I’ve been in court–jury duty and a divorce–were nonetheless oddly alien and scarier than _shit_. There were protocols and unimaginable layers of, well, stuff, and all of sudden I was catapulted inside one honkin’ SYSTEM. It gave me pause, not that I had the luxury of considering the underlying integrity of the whole shebang. Frankly it felt like being sucked into a vortex, rather like a hospital emergency room. The place was swamped with busy, dismissive experts and ordinary folks were just annoying units, helplessly shuffled about at whim. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to have my future, freedom, reputation, etc. riding on that mess. Justice is \*supposed \* to be blind, by principle at the very least. The impassioned debates just on Christianity, just on this message board, open a window on how divisive religion can be. How frightening–and unfair and impossible–for an ordinary person forced to recourse of law, when religion is permitted into the mix. Guess the biases of the judge. Forget ownership of individual conscience. Fit the mold or pay the price of “law”. Gotcha! This is obscene. Separation of church and state doesn’t outlaw religion; it protects individual conscience from civil penalties. Veb ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073/36 "2003-08-24T05:23:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by This Year’s Model \* > \*\*Having taken more than my share of road trips, I can assure you that it is impossible to cross the country on any route without at least one christian station _always_ being available for one’s listening pleasure. The same cannot be said for decent rock/alternative music. Just who is being repressed around here? \*\* God, tell me about it. I drove from Atlanta to New Orleans, and once you get outside Atlanta, it’s Country…Country…Jesus…Country…Lite Rock…Jesus…Alternative from 1999 (and not the good stuff)…Jesus…Country…Country. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073/37 "2003-08-25T15:56:48Z")
For what it’s worth, we brought up the Ten Commandments flap in our adult Sunday School class yesterday. Every single person in the room (nine in all, and as far as I know all born and raised in the state) thinks Moore is wrong and is angling for a run at governor or senator. So, “Allabammar” could be “the home of clueless morons,” but that doesn’t mean we _all_ meet the residency requirements. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073/38 "2003-08-25T16:25:14Z")
> [@](#): > > So, how come there is not a push to remove “In God We Trust” from the money? There is, or would be, but it’s not likely to move anywhere soon. The current court would likely conclude, as it had about similar cases, that it counts as meaningless “ceremonial deism” despite how laghably misinformed (not mention insulting to both believers and diests) such a finding is. ---
**Author:** ![Aries28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Aries28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aries28)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073/39 "2003-08-25T16:41:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ivylass \* > **How do most Alabamans feel about it?** Every single one I have talked to about it (and believe me, it is a lot) think Moore is a dumbass who is grandstanding and doing nothing but paving the way for his inevitable race for governor in a few years. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by GMRyujin_\*\* > Seriously, Alabamans love them some Jaysus. There are about 8 All Jesus All The Time radio stations.\*\* Really? I live in Birmingham and I know of only one. In fact, country music outplays religious in Bham. [QUOTE] _Originally posted by rjung_\*\* Certifying once and for all that Alabama is the home of clueless morons\*\* [QUOTE] The above statement really pisses me off. Yes…Moore is an idiot. But not everybody in Alabama is a clueless moron. If I made such a blanket statement about a group I would be flamed from here to eternity. Every single state has a politician or public figure or someone who makes an ass of themselves but it doesn’t mean that the entire state’s population are idiots. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073/40 "2003-08-25T17:09:25Z")
This guy is an un-American, sanctimoneous, intollerant mother fucking asshole. I hope he dies. Haj [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-dance-moron-ala-chief-justice-suspended-from-office/197073.md?page=3)