March 7, 2008

Court Quotes, Volume I, Issue 3 - What Not To Say

I found today's issue of court quotes on "Thursday Drive." It describes an event from the 1970s. After enduring six years of mental torture and physical abuse, a pair of sisters are adopted by their truly evil stepmother:

The judge stepped down from the bench and came over to where we stood with our attorney, clustered around a wooden table. The moment was celebratory. He had just approved Sue’s adoption of my sister and me.

'Congratulations,' the judge said as he reached out to shake my hand. 'Now she can spank you legally.'


Horrible! Incredibly insensitive. I'll grant it's possible that he didn't know and had no reason to suspect the girls were being abused. But wouldn't you try to curb making 'jokes' like that anyway? Judges aren't (normally) psychic, but that only illustrates why they shouldn't presume everything is 'fine.'

4 comments:

Penny said...

thanks for dropping by but how on earth did you find me?
I have hanging over my bed a Modigliani nude that we bought some nearly 50 years ago, my children used to look at her and say that is Mummy. How I wish now, but then maybe, have always loved them so thanks for saying that about my not terribly good out of my head painting.
Are you in Denver? Flew in and out a few years ago, as skiers we always wanted to get some where to ski but I think we are a mite old for anything more than gentle slopes

Scylla said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Jennifer S said...

Red, thanks for posting this. I really hope that a judge today wouldn't say something like this, almost 30 years later.

Still.

Jenny, the Bloggess said...

I'm shaking I'm so disgusted.