Targeting judges

Far more interesting than the official reaction to the murders of Judge Lefkow's hudband and mother has been that of other white nationalists and even supposedly "mainstream" conservatives, like the fine folks at Free Republic. For the definitive rundown from a red-blooded point of view, Jesus' General has all the key posts, notably these:

This may be a blessing in disguise. Our country is grappling with judges who do not understand that there is a war, and issues about "torture", rights for enemy combatants and etc, these new threats may wake them up because for the first time in these judges lives, they are vulnerable and threaten. Survival is no longer an academic thing. Make a dumb ruling that undermines the police and military ability to fight criminals and terrorists have personal consequences.
17 posted on 03/05/2005 4:53:40 PM PST by Fee

They know who the left wing judges, reporters and university professors are.

It is simply a matter of each individuals 'activist' choosing a suitable target and then taking action.
5 posted on 03/05/2005 4:42:23 PM PST by BenLurkin

Those were merely anonymous posters in a mostly impotent right-wing forum. Hal Turner -- whose activities on this matter have been noted previously, including by law enforcement -- has not taken it another notch and begun specifically targeting more judges.

He was planning on doing this tonight, evidently, on Geraldo Rivera's Fox show, giving his plan a national kickoff. He outlined it, however, on his Web site.

Turner points out, correctly, that Matt Hale was actually given a favorable ruling by Judge Lefkow. [Eric Zorn of the Chicago Tribune has more on this: Hale in fact targeted Lefkow "simply because he believed she'd married a Jewish man (her husband is an active Episcopalian) and he believed there was a racially mixed marriage in her family."]

However, he then goes on to name, as the "real villains" in this scenario, three "certain judges on the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals," giving their office addresses, and goes on to say:

With the federal judiciary in the spotlight over the Lefkow killings, it seems to me that much of the efforts of pro-whites to criticize Judge Lefkow were. . . . . . . misplaced. As such, I believe it is time to put the judges named above into the arena of public scrutiny.

Let them experience rousing public debate which they cannot control. Let them feel the pressure of public scorn which they cannot control. Let them see it and hear it at their courthouse, at their private homes, in their social circles and, of course, here on the internet.

Clearly the federal judiciary is not nearly as thick-skinned as they would have us believe. Given the Lefkow situation, federal judges are whining for more protection even though there is not one shred of evidence indicating the Lefkow killings are even related to the Judge's court docket!

In terms of public relations, - whether one is "for" or "against" - it is always best to "strike while the iron is hot." Given the media spectacle, public awareness, frayed nerves and serious concern over the Lefkow situation, the timing is perfect right now to stoke the fire of public opinion against these other Judges.

Now, as far as launching public pressure campaigns go, Turner may be demonstrating tremendous insensitivity by targeting three specific judges for such a campaign, but legally speaking, he is probably within his rights in doing so.

But he crosses the line in short order:

Needed immediately is: Home addresses of the aforementioned Judges. Background and Biographical info. Photos. Voting records, property ownership records. Info about any skeletons in their closets: alcoholism, drug use, homosexuality/lesbianism, race-mixed families . . . .You know, the whole nine yards. The full monty.

This strikes me as a manifest threat, particularly his plan to publicize their home addresses and gather private information about them. I imagine the Marshals Service and the FBI may see it the same way, but I could be wrong. (In the Sun-Times today, Turner says: "There is nothing on that page that should even remotely should be deemed as an illegal threat." I'm not so sure, particularly given this specific context, in which members of a judge's family were assassinated in their home.

Of course, he adds the non-sequitur at the end:

Please do not break any laws when undertaking your efforts.

Sure. Just like Matt Hale told Benjamin Smith [PDF file] not to break any laws.