North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls is being threatened with sanctions for criticizing the court's approach to racial and gender discrimination. Earls, the only Black woman on the court, is under investigation by the state's Judicial Standards Commission, a body largely comprised of conservative judges appointed by North Carolina Chief Justice Paul Newby. On August 15, Earls received a
The systemic racism in the American judicial system is widely known. For a Black jurist to be sanctioned for pointing it out is probably the epitome of racist oppression.
The GOP has decided that rather than address racism it would rather oppress those who expose it.
I can promise you that North Carolina, like much of the rest of the South including Georgia, is exactly as Anita Earls describes it. Thank you for featuring this very disturbing case. It is so indicative of the time in which we are living, and the blind and conscious discrimination that a majority of citizens of color face.
I would love it if reporters asked white racists about their racism as much as they ask black people about it. Point out examples & don’t let them dismiss it. Ask them how they’ll address it & fix it the way they ask us to fix someone wises problem. (Imagine asking an abused spouse how they’ll address & fix being hit. Ask the f’ing abuser)!
The implicit dismissal of professional women in nearly any field is well known. Interrupted, downplayed, challenged by arrogant, less experienced & less qualified people, walking on eggshells not to threaten fragile folks, etc. There’s still a “get in the kitchen, little lady” mentality underlying our culture, esp when it comes to authoritative & power-hungry conservative white men. For black women, all of this + “get in the field, before I whip you, inferior creature.”
We are constantly code switching & adjusting to mitigate the fear & stereotypes & almost inherent disrespect of our blackness. A challenge of status quo = an angry black woman. Speaking with conviction & clarity = implied warnings that we are going beyond the box we are allowed to be in, in THEIR space. Speaking truth of our career experiences = how dare you have a view and leads to “investigations” & threats of sanctions. Suddenly the “code of conduct” matters & is applied. (By the same people who support an open criminal).
It is exhausting for us to build a career and life around the fragility & bias of a white male dominated America...
I appreciate the awareness & exposure to such stories. I appreciate non-racist people seeking to understand & being a voice or at least not being part of the problem. Sigh.
It's just confounding how many layers of putrid behavior by so-called conservatives is being revealed of late. It's almost like someone in leadership gave them permission to allow their covert racist and misogynistic tendencies to openly bloom and grow...hmm. Popular Information sheds light in these darkest of corners and I sincerely hope you continue doing so.
I hope progressive North Carolinians, of which there are many, come to the defense of Justice Earls. She’s a lonely voice on the bench. I’m grateful she spoke up about the micro aggressions directed at her regularly, as well as the systemic racism that is playing out in the court. Oh, if only Cheri Beasley had won her bid to remain chief justice.
We are watching this closely here in NC. Remember, this is the same state where we had a state senator switch from D to R after being elected. Republicans are flexing their atrophied muscles and flailing about, going straight-up authoritarian when given the chance. The thing about NC is that we are definitely not Florida or Tennessee. Our governor, Roy Cooper, is a moderate and pragmatic Democrat. Let's hope authoritarian actions like these lead to voter turnout in 2024. We will be sending these wannabe autocrats home.
So glad I left NC, it was hateful and spiteful and racist back then--with a few lovely people sprinkled throughout, and I gave it 20 years of my life. I kind of wish the south had actually seceded. The culture is so different--and they have never stopped fighting 'the war'. Hindsight being 20/20, had the south actually broken away from the US years ago, we may not be in the racist, hateful mess we are in now. But maybe that's the orange racist kool-aid effect and his power grabbing corrupt sycophants and the fox/bannon/breitbart/social media kool aid drinkers. Now I need coffee.
Fifteen years ago, I worked with Family Court judges in Charlotte and had the opportunity to attend a statewide meeting convened by then Chief Justice Sarah Parker, on issues of racial implicit bias in the courts. So sad to see great work being undone.
There is no excellence without accountability. Questioning (and addressing) racial and gender bias in a system produces a better system, a more excellent system.
Again, Judd, you are able to unearth a deep and dangerous injustice that more of our world can learn about and address. The increasing power of Republican racism deserves to be exposed so that North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls and others with her courage and intelligence have their voices heard. There have to be other "white males" who can use their power stand on the side of justice. I'm reminded of Trump early in his administration firing Preet Bahara in his attempt to find "loyalty." I'm reflecting on the unwitting foolishness of the FBI's Comey and Robert Mueller. Power depends on more than being on the right side of Justice--it requires effective speaking out. Go Anita!
Thanks Judd. Interesting to me because we essentially have Supreme Court chief justices; essentially on the take from their billionaire benefactors. But when a justice speaks out about observations made as a judge, in the North Carolina judicial system; respect to how lawyers & justices that are either female and black (or white), are treated differently than their male, white counterparts, that's violating some code of conduct they supposedly have, respect to speaking to the press. To me it suggests, "don't air out North Carolina's very dirty, racist, sexist laundry."
Yet I wonder if these white, male (republican) counterparts have spoken out against the conduct of SC justices Alito or Thomas? Somehow, I doubt it. I have lived in the South for 38 years. ( the Northern climate didn't agree with my health.) Though racism & sexism may not be as blatant as it was 60-70 years ago, it's spectre still haunts us daily, in particular in our judicial & legal systems. My understanding was, this was meant to be A place where the intention is for JUSTICE to be blind. Given our prisons are filled with minorities ( blacks & hispanics), the composition of our countries population being largely white, suggests justice is not color blind. We've heard all too often of white counterparts ( especially the wealthy) in the court system, getting off with much reduced jail time vs. minority counterparts charged with similar charges.
Yet while court justices like Alito & Thomas, who've violated many ethical standards & essentually taken bribes from billionaires who's cases they've presided over (and not recused themselves;) they remain free to enjoy their ill gotten gains. To state an old cliche, "there's something wrong with this picture."
The systemic racism in the American judicial system is widely known. For a Black jurist to be sanctioned for pointing it out is probably the epitome of racist oppression.
The GOP has decided that rather than address racism it would rather oppress those who expose it.
I can promise you that North Carolina, like much of the rest of the South including Georgia, is exactly as Anita Earls describes it. Thank you for featuring this very disturbing case. It is so indicative of the time in which we are living, and the blind and conscious discrimination that a majority of citizens of color face.
A few thoughts...
I would love it if reporters asked white racists about their racism as much as they ask black people about it. Point out examples & don’t let them dismiss it. Ask them how they’ll address it & fix it the way they ask us to fix someone wises problem. (Imagine asking an abused spouse how they’ll address & fix being hit. Ask the f’ing abuser)!
The implicit dismissal of professional women in nearly any field is well known. Interrupted, downplayed, challenged by arrogant, less experienced & less qualified people, walking on eggshells not to threaten fragile folks, etc. There’s still a “get in the kitchen, little lady” mentality underlying our culture, esp when it comes to authoritative & power-hungry conservative white men. For black women, all of this + “get in the field, before I whip you, inferior creature.”
We are constantly code switching & adjusting to mitigate the fear & stereotypes & almost inherent disrespect of our blackness. A challenge of status quo = an angry black woman. Speaking with conviction & clarity = implied warnings that we are going beyond the box we are allowed to be in, in THEIR space. Speaking truth of our career experiences = how dare you have a view and leads to “investigations” & threats of sanctions. Suddenly the “code of conduct” matters & is applied. (By the same people who support an open criminal).
It is exhausting for us to build a career and life around the fragility & bias of a white male dominated America...
I appreciate the awareness & exposure to such stories. I appreciate non-racist people seeking to understand & being a voice or at least not being part of the problem. Sigh.
It's just confounding how many layers of putrid behavior by so-called conservatives is being revealed of late. It's almost like someone in leadership gave them permission to allow their covert racist and misogynistic tendencies to openly bloom and grow...hmm. Popular Information sheds light in these darkest of corners and I sincerely hope you continue doing so.
I hope progressive North Carolinians, of which there are many, come to the defense of Justice Earls. She’s a lonely voice on the bench. I’m grateful she spoke up about the micro aggressions directed at her regularly, as well as the systemic racism that is playing out in the court. Oh, if only Cheri Beasley had won her bid to remain chief justice.
And precisely why is N. Carolina Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls being threatened with sanctions?
C'mon! It's not a trick question. You already know why and it's a dirty damn shame.
We are watching this closely here in NC. Remember, this is the same state where we had a state senator switch from D to R after being elected. Republicans are flexing their atrophied muscles and flailing about, going straight-up authoritarian when given the chance. The thing about NC is that we are definitely not Florida or Tennessee. Our governor, Roy Cooper, is a moderate and pragmatic Democrat. Let's hope authoritarian actions like these lead to voter turnout in 2024. We will be sending these wannabe autocrats home.
3 words
Lewis Powell Memo
Look it up, read it, use it
The conservatives and with the libertarian take over are using it to destroy the American Experiment and replace it with their own cultish ideology.
Facts be damned in economics, public assistance, education, foreign policy, and anything else.
Go get 'em Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls. It is about time someone stood up to these clueless folk.
So glad I left NC, it was hateful and spiteful and racist back then--with a few lovely people sprinkled throughout, and I gave it 20 years of my life. I kind of wish the south had actually seceded. The culture is so different--and they have never stopped fighting 'the war'. Hindsight being 20/20, had the south actually broken away from the US years ago, we may not be in the racist, hateful mess we are in now. But maybe that's the orange racist kool-aid effect and his power grabbing corrupt sycophants and the fox/bannon/breitbart/social media kool aid drinkers. Now I need coffee.
Fifteen years ago, I worked with Family Court judges in Charlotte and had the opportunity to attend a statewide meeting convened by then Chief Justice Sarah Parker, on issues of racial implicit bias in the courts. So sad to see great work being undone.
There is no excellence without accountability. Questioning (and addressing) racial and gender bias in a system produces a better system, a more excellent system.
Again, Judd, you are able to unearth a deep and dangerous injustice that more of our world can learn about and address. The increasing power of Republican racism deserves to be exposed so that North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls and others with her courage and intelligence have their voices heard. There have to be other "white males" who can use their power stand on the side of justice. I'm reminded of Trump early in his administration firing Preet Bahara in his attempt to find "loyalty." I'm reflecting on the unwitting foolishness of the FBI's Comey and Robert Mueller. Power depends on more than being on the right side of Justice--it requires effective speaking out. Go Anita!
When will the Republican Terror end? Not any time soon, I'm afraid.
How do we fix this corruption
Thanks Judd. Interesting to me because we essentially have Supreme Court chief justices; essentially on the take from their billionaire benefactors. But when a justice speaks out about observations made as a judge, in the North Carolina judicial system; respect to how lawyers & justices that are either female and black (or white), are treated differently than their male, white counterparts, that's violating some code of conduct they supposedly have, respect to speaking to the press. To me it suggests, "don't air out North Carolina's very dirty, racist, sexist laundry."
Yet I wonder if these white, male (republican) counterparts have spoken out against the conduct of SC justices Alito or Thomas? Somehow, I doubt it. I have lived in the South for 38 years. ( the Northern climate didn't agree with my health.) Though racism & sexism may not be as blatant as it was 60-70 years ago, it's spectre still haunts us daily, in particular in our judicial & legal systems. My understanding was, this was meant to be A place where the intention is for JUSTICE to be blind. Given our prisons are filled with minorities ( blacks & hispanics), the composition of our countries population being largely white, suggests justice is not color blind. We've heard all too often of white counterparts ( especially the wealthy) in the court system, getting off with much reduced jail time vs. minority counterparts charged with similar charges.
Yet while court justices like Alito & Thomas, who've violated many ethical standards & essentually taken bribes from billionaires who's cases they've presided over (and not recused themselves;) they remain free to enjoy their ill gotten gains. To state an old cliche, "there's something wrong with this picture."