Being a person of a volatile nature, there are times when I lose my temper and yell at people. In fact, I’m embarrassed to say it happens more often than I care to admit while stuck in traffic. I’m capable of pounding on the horn, bi-lingual swearing and expressive hand gestures. But not ever have I morphed into a bigot and resorted to racial slurs, because that’s just not who I am.
I don’t understand how someone can slur a community and then say that’s not who they are. It is my opinion that unless they were temporairly inhabited by aliens or suffer from multiple personality disorder that’s exaclty who they are.
From Jeri Beth Cohen, the residing judge in the Cuban custody case:
”I do not think that they deport people back to Cuba,” Cohen replied. “That is our big problem. If we deport people back to Cuba, we could empty our jails. We would have it made and be happy, but we cannot.”
Judge Cohen apologized for her remarks, but imagine if a white judge made a statement suggesting that imprisoning all blacks would reduce crime. Do you think an apology would suffice for the African-American community to trust said judge to be fair and impartial in cases involving their community?
No doubt Judge Cohen will base her decision based on what she perceives to be in the best interests of the child, but I have to question whether or not her liberal background and personal prejudices will cloud her thinking. I have to question whether or not she will give proper weight to the political reality of oppression in Cuba and how that would affect this child’s life. Is she fully aware of the rationing, the lack of all human rights, and the arbitrary acts of violence the regime inflicts on Cuban citizens?
Granting this little girl’s father custody would really mean giving her to a dictator whose treatment of his citizens has placed him on the list at Genocide watch and international Human Rights groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
How can that be in her best interests?
Read more at the Miami Herald, and the Daily Business Review.
I believe this is exactly what Manuel was trying to get across last week. Manuel, if you are still out there come on back. We all lose our cool at times. I believe many people’s emotions were riding high last week.
I think we ought to accept her “profuse” apology, just as the Cuban Bar Association did. Sometimes, giving the benefit of the doubt is a good thing. If we were all judged for the nonsensical remarks we occasionally make, we would be pretty lonely people.
Think about it…a veteran judge who has worked with Cuban-American peers her whole career probably knows that most Cubans aren’t criminals.
It’s noteworthy that the Cuban Bar Association withdrew their bias complaint with the ethics commission following Cohen’s apology. There’s been no pattern of bias in her behavior before or since her stupid remark.
Ziva you need to get to know this judge better.If you did you would change your mind
Fool us once, shame on you.
Fool us twice, shame on us!
Let us not forget where we live and how political expediency almost always comes before justice and morality.
We’re considering the best interests of the child?
Really? Here I thought we were merely considering this to be “an excellent opportunity for the party in power to remember some promises they made in South Florida.”
Boy, is my face red.
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Manuel, if you’re there, please come back. You’re one of the most eloquent and sharpest minds on this site. I don’t believe you did anything to warrant the attack…but it’s his blog…
”Our focus is the child. We have to keep our eye on the child…” When a judge with a history of ‘social activism’ says that, brace yourself.
Translation: I’m giving her to the parent(s).
I wasn’t pessimistic about this case until now. Don’t know if the kid’s attorney pressed for this judge’s recusal, but you don’t want one with this judge’s track record ruling on a case so similar to Elian’s.
And I don’t care if she has profusely apologized (big deal) and brought pastelitos and coladas for her courtroom; these leopards don’t change their spots. They just camouflage when the heat is on. The child needs all the prayers she can get.
Robert I agree with we all make nonsensical remarks at times, that was my point. I believe it is those moments that are very revealing of our character. As for that apology, In the 2004 CABA Judicial poll, 33.63% of CABA members voted her not fair in her treatment of hispanics. Something to think about.