Deep Codolences on Death of Judge Roll

This kind of incident rattles me to the core and I wish to express my deepest condolences to members of the federal bench and his family. Particularly, as a non-violent pacifist, I am deeply disturbed by the senseless death of Judge John McCarthy Roll, Chief Judge of the Court in Arizona, who was gunned down, along with 18 others, by a disturbed individual yesterday, as a bystander during the intentional targeted shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. I ask all to pray that his soul is granted everlasting peace, to pray for the families of the injured and deceased, to pray for our country, and to pray for the victims who are injured and fighting for their lives.

There is NO room for violence in a civilized society.

I did not know Judge Roll or read his decisions, but I do know he was a public servant, devoted to his family and his country per other news reports.

An attack  on any public servant, EVEN ONE WHOM WE DISAGREE WITH, is an attack on ALL Americans.

We MUST stand together to honor him and examine the reasons for this senseless violence and loss of a long-time public servant.

As a non-violent pacifist, granddaughter of a Baptist minister, Constitutionalist, and civil rights activist, I am deeply disturbed by the increasing use of violence to address issues of discontent, both by our government (for example: against Guantanamo Bay prisoners and torture) and by the public, particularly extremists. This violence and the rhetoric about it constantly on the TV, radio, and Internet is a spark that can ignite unstable individuals.

We MUST recognize that 11 % of the population suffers from mental illness and those few among this group who are deeply disturbed and uncontrollably violent are detrimentally influenced by extremists who put “target” lists up, use incendiary language, and put bullet targets over pictures of politicians with whom they disagree. To me this is like publicly advocating for injuring these people. It should be a crime to do this. How is it different from yelling “fire” in a crowded theater? I call upon Congress to pass such a law.

I call on all to reduce the rhetoric encouraging extremism and violence and increase the civil discourse.

America is appreciated around the world for our unique political system, which values civil debate and non-violent exchange of power as was typified by the civil hand-over of the gavel by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to John Boehner.

However, I am now extremely worried that ignorant and aggressive members of the U.S. Marshal’s service, FBI, Cook County Sheriff, and corrupt politicians will use this incident as an excuse to further attack peaceful, legitimate, whistle blowers, and non-violent activists against corruption in our government, labeling them without thought as crazy or grouping them inappropriately as mentally ill with those who are truly psychotic. It is easy to get rid of a critic with defamation or by inappropriately and without basis linking a person with a group such as the psychotically mentally ill who are clearly not credible critics.

I am also deeply worried about what I read on the Internet and heard in person or by other communications sent to me from mentally unstable persons who have in some cases legitimate, but in many cases non-legitimate complaints about lawlessness perpetrated by a minority of members of the police, government officials, and unfortunately also by a few members of the federal bench. Until these issues are addressed I worry greatly that such incidents will escalate rather than be rare.

PLEASE PRAY FOR JUSTICE, FOR TRANSPARENCY, AND FOR THE DOJ TO OPEN THEIR EYES AND WORK WITH WHISTLE BLOWERS INSTEAD OF AGAINST THEM WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE LEGITIMATE COMPLAINTS!

For further information see blogs exposing Illinois corruption:

corrupt Cook County judges

corrupt Cook County Sheriff staff

links to reports by investigative reporter Chuck Goudie concerning millions obtained by phony foundation from federal government and links to prominent politicians and IL Attorney General – Part I Part II

corrupt U.S. Marshals - Read page links on the right.

Federal judges in Chicago who are either being manipulated with false information or are corrupt

Illinois corruption in general – long detailed posts

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IN MEMORY OF JUDGE ROLLS, I OFFER THE FOLLOWING TO CONTEMPLATE:

UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL!

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“In the midst of death LIFE persists, In the midst of untruth TRUTH persists, In the midst of darkness LIGHT exists.”

Mahatma Gandhi

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“We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty,” he said, in 1954. “We must remember always that accusation is not proof, and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law.”

”We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men, not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate, and to defend causes that were for the moment unpopular.”

Edward R. Murrow, 1954

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Living in a Grateful World

Be grateful to those who have hurt or harmed you,
for they have enforced your determination.

Be grateful to those who have deceived you,
for they have deepened your insight.

Be grateful to those who have hit you,
for they have reduced your karmic obstacles.

Be grateful to those who have abandoned you,
for they have taught you to be independent.

Be grateful to those who have made you stumble,
for they have strengthened your ability.

Be grateful to those who have denounced you,
for they have increased your wisdom and concentration.

Be grateful to those who have made you firm and resolute
and helped in your achievement.

- The Venerable Master Chin Kung

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“Liberty—the freedom from unwarranted intrusion by government—is as easily lost through insistent nibbles by government officials who seek to do their jobs too well as by those whose purpose it is to oppress; the piranha can be as deadly as the shark.”
—United States v. $124,570, 873 F.2d 1240, 1246 (9th Cir. 1989)

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“In Germany, they first came for the communists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Catholic. Then they came for me–and by that time there was nobody left to speak up.”
—Martin Niemöller (1945) [he served seven years in a concentration camp]

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“A free society is one where it is safe to be unpopular.”

Adlaia Stevenson

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So, let us be alert – alert in a twofold sense:

Since Auschwitz we know what man is capable of.

And since Hiroshima we know what is at stake.

Victor E. Frankl

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You shall cross the barren desert,
but you shall not die of thirst.
You shall wander far in safety,
though you do not know the way.

You shall speak your words in foreign lands,
and all will understand,
You shall see the face of God and live.

Be not afraid,
I go before you always,
Come follow Me,
and I shall give you rest.

If you pass through raging waters
in the sea, you shall not drown.
If you walk amidst the burning flames,
you shall not be harmed.

If you stand before the pow’r of hell
and death is at your side,
know that I am with you, through it all

Be not afraid,
I go before you always,
Come follow Me,
and I shall give you rest.

Blessed are your poor,
for the Kingdom shall be theirs.
Blest are you that weep and mourn,
for one day you shall laugh.

And if wicked men insult and hate you, all because of Me,
blessed, blessed are you!

Be not afraid,
I go before you always,
Come follow Me,
and I shall give you rest.

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