White Judge Draws Fire for Costume

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/story.jsp...956.htm&sc=1110

 

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A white judge is under fire for going to a Halloween party costumed in blackface makeup, an afro wig and a prison jumpsuit with shackles around his wrists and ankles.

 

State District Judge Timothy C. Ellender's costume stereotyped blacks as criminals and convicts, said Jerome Boykin, president of the NAACP's branch in southern Louisiana's Terrebonne Parish, where Ellender's court is located.

 

``For a judge to take the time to paint his face black with shoe polish, put on an afro wig, a prison jumpsuit and shackles ... and walk around in public, I feel he ain't fit to be a judge,'' Boykin said Monday.

 

Ellender acknowledged that he wore the costume but said it was a harmless joke.

 

``It's a tempest in a teapot,'' he told The Courier of Houma.

 

Ellender did not immediately return a call seeking comment Monday.

 

The judge agreed to meet with black activists, elected officials and clergy this week to discuss the costume, which he wore to a restaurant in Houma, about 60 miles southwest of New Orleans, Boykin said.

 

The black leaders will decide after the meeting whether to file a complaint with Louisiana's Judiciary Commission, which can censure and dismiss judges who violate the state's judicial code of conduct.

 

Ellender has been criticized in the past for keeping a shotgun in his courtroom and giving out unusual sentences.

 

He sentenced a man convicted of accidentally killing his best friend to regularly place flowers at the victim's grave. He sentenced a youngster with chronic speeding violations to clean up trash from a bayou using the judge's boat.

 

This judge is SO fucked that it's not even funny.

[teke184 0]

At least he isn't as bad as the dumb bitch in Baton Rouge, judge Trudy White, who let judge Don Johnson off of DUI charges.

 

Johnson had been stopped by the state police and was so shitfaced that he pissed himself at the scene. However, he got off because his brethalizer came back at like 1.09 and she claimed that there was a .1 margin of error, so he MIGHT not have been drunk.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

He sentenced a man convicted of accidentally killing his best friend to regularly place flowers at the victim's grave. He sentenced a youngster with chronic speeding violations to clean up trash from a bayou using the judge's boat.

This is the only thing about that article I like.

 

Stupid. Plain and simple...

[Guest Anglesault]

Now, I wonder...

 

If a black judge showed up at a party wearing a plain baseball cap advertising gasoline, a mullet wig, fake teeth, a flannel west and blue jeans, would there be this uproar?

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

I doubt it. And if there was you know that the NAACP would call the people racist.

[Papacita 0]

If a black judge showed up at a party wearing a plain baseball cap advertising gasoline, a mullet wig, fake teeth, a flannel west and blue jeans, would there be this uproar?

The connotation there is hardly as demeaning or offensive as the judge's portrayal.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Yeah, while each race has its own stereotypes, I'd say those pertaining to the black race are the most defined, if you will. Just like there's a definite racial slur for the black race, there's a definite stereotype, where as there's not so much of a definite racial slur for whites (crackers and honkeys, huh?), as well as no definite white stereotype.

[Guest Anglesault]

If a black judge showed up at a party wearing a plain baseball cap advertising gasoline, a mullet wig, fake teeth, a flannel west and blue jeans, would there be this uproar?

The connotation there is hardly as demeaning or offensive as the judge's portrayal.

Depends on your interpretation of it.

 

if the white judge here is saying that all black people are criminals, my hypothetical black judge could be saying that all white people are inbred hicks with no teeth that watch NASCAR.

 

I find that very offensive.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I'll wait until that happens.

 

And yes, I'd treat that judge in the same fashion and I do Racist Dusty...

[Papacita 0]

If a black judge showed up at a party wearing a plain baseball cap advertising gasoline, a mullet wig, fake teeth, a flannel west and blue jeans, would there be this uproar?

The connotation there is hardly as demeaning or offensive as the judge's portrayal.

Depends on your interpretation of it.

 

if the white judge here is saying that all black people are criminals, my hypothetical black judge could be saying that all white people are inbred hicks with no teeth that watch NASCAR.

 

I find that very offensive.

I don't see how you can say the two images are on par with each other. As Bruiser said, that inbred hick stereotype doesn't define your race. There are so many positive images of whites in society that even the most segregated black person would have a hard time buying into that stereotype. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for blacks, as our presentation in media is limited and tends to be a lot more negative than positive. These negative stereotypes do follow us around, and have more impact on our lives on a day-to-day basis than a redneck label ever could.

 

Also, this case is made worse by the fact that this guy is a judge. There's already a perception among African Americans that the criminal justice system is biased against them, so when you've got a judge walking around presenting racist images, I hope you can understand why there would be more of an uproar in this instance than there would be if the situation were reversed.

[Guest El Satanico]

What the hell was he thinking...talk about terrible judgement.

 

Black guy dressing as a hick isn't comparable to a white guy using black face AND dressing like a convict. The racist history of black face makes it offensive. Dressing as a hick has no racist history, so it doesn't compare to black face.

 

Also dressing as a hick targets a certain sections of white people, where only the people who fit the stereotype deny it. Using black face and dressing as a convict targets the entire race.

 

 

Of course, I wouldn't expect anything less from old AS. He'd fit right in with this judge, bunch of damn good ole boys.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

A more accurate comparison to the redneck thing would be if the judge put on a basketball jersey and a bunch of bling bling, carried around a boom box, and rapped in ebonics. Because that is poking fun at an easily recognizable subculture of black people rather than black people in general.

[Guest Anglesault]

Another thing I'd like to add, and this is possibly because I'm not one of those people who make a living out of finding OMG RACISM in every little situation but I really don't see how this man's costume states that every black ever is a convict.

 

Also, this case is made worse by the fact that this guy is a judge. There's already a perception among African Americans that the criminal justice system is biased against them, so when you've got a judge walking around presenting racist images, I hope you can understand why there would be more of an uproar in this instance than there would be if the situation were reversed.

 

I do see you point. I don't disagree that it was a stupid move. I'm just starting to see a trend in this country where leaders who supposedly looking for equal treatment for their group of people (be in African Americans, women, whatever it may be) in reality just want preferential treatment. That mindset helps no one.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

There's already a perception among African Americans that the criminal justice system is biased against them, so when you've got a judge walking around presenting racist images, I hope you can understand why there would be more of an uproar in this instance than there would be if the situation were reversed.

Well, with the various dead-end jobs worked during my schooling years, I can safely say that the redneck sect of my race doesn't think too highly of the judicial system either...

[MrRant 0]

There's already a perception among African Americans that the criminal justice system is biased against them, so when you've got a judge walking around presenting racist images, I hope you can understand why there would be more of an uproar in this instance than there would be if the situation were reversed.

Well, with the numerous various dead-end jobs worked during my schooling years, I can safely say that the redneck sect of my race doesn't think too highly of the judicial system either...

Neither do your soon to be in-laws.

 

 

ZING~!

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Wasn’t much of a zing because my future white-trash sister-in-law is the only one in that household I’m dreading becoming a family member of.

 

And in her case, with all the warrants out for her arrests, and her numerous “second chances” that she gets despite breaking the law makes me loathe the judicial system even MORE, if that’s possible...

[MrRant 0]

Turn her in.

 

Constantly.

 

Testify AGAINST her.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

He's not making fun of black people, he's making fun of criminals. He probably did the blackface bit because most of the people he sentences are black. I don't have any facts to back this up, offhand, but I'm willing to bet the southern Lousiana prison population is primarily minorities. So, I can see where he was coming from with the outfit, but I still think it's in bad taste.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

Turn her in.

 

Constantly.

 

Testify AGAINST her.

or even better bring her on Jerry Springer so I can watch you humiliate her

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

I'm pretty sure being the subject of Jerry Springer is humiliating to all those involved, not just the woman in question.

[Styles 0]

Completely tasteless, moreso because he's a judge, supposedly a man without biases. Stop making up "but, what if..." scenarios. Those other things have not happened, this has.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

He's not making fun of black people, he's making fun of criminals. He probably did the blackface bit because most of the people he sentences are black. I don't have any facts to back this up, offhand, but I'm willing to bet the southern Lousiana prison population is primarily minorities. So, I can see where he was coming from with the outfit, but I still think it's in bad taste.

Regardless of facts and stats, if that's his mindset, then who's to say that right there doesn't make him a racist? I'm sure you're right that most of the state is minorities, but nevertheless, him sentencing mostly black people would indicate that he has something against them on a personal level.

 

Touching upon the stereotype thing one more time, I'd like to add that most of "our" (white people) stereotypes really aren't that offensive. Yeah you've got the hick, but that only applies to a small number of people. What other stereotypes are there? Oh yeah, we wear khakis with tucked polo shirts with a little animal on the breast pocket. Take that white America!

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I'm pretty sure being the subject of Jerry Springer is humiliating to all those involved, not just the woman in question.

And plus I'd probaby have to sleep with her or something.

 

No thanks.

 

I'll just wait for the Hepatitis to kick in...

[Lil' Bitch 0]

What a dumbass judge. I hope he loses his job.

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

Honest question:

 

Why is it worse to insult a black guy for being black than it is to insult a tall person for being tall?

[Papacita 0]

Honest question:

 

Why is it worse to insult a black guy for being black than it is to insult a tall person for being tall?

Well, primarily, tall people were never persecuted because of their height like blacks were because of skin color, so that's a sensitive area. Also, insulting someone because they're black implies that the black race is inferior, and implies all of the negative stereotypes traditionally associated with the race (being lazy, dumb, sex-crazed, etc.), so the connotation isn't the same as if you'd insult someone for having a big nose or whatever.

[Vyce 0]

Yeah you've got the hick, but that only applies to a small number of people.

 

Oh, my friend, it applies to a much greater number than you're giving credit for.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Heh, I know that the hick population is ever-growing, but regardless of how many new Uncle Daddies come down the pike in the decades to come, the stereotype will never eclipse this one, since hicks were never oppressed and forced to go through so many injustices (although maybe that's a good idea). Hopefully that doesn't open another can of worms, since it does sound a bit, well, prejudice.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Regardless of facts and stats, if that's his mindset, then who's to say that right there doesn't make him a racist? I'm sure you're right that most of the state is minorities, but nevertheless, him sentencing mostly black people would indicate that he has something against them on a personal level.

There'll be somebody who will probably take this completely the wrong way, but maybe it's just that the majority of criminals under his jurisdiction are black? Crime doesn't have to follow any racial guidelines, or profiling. It could just be the case that there's a shitty part of town that he has to deal with, and he's sent young Jamal up the river for stealing cars a couple times, and decided "Hey, I'm always on this side of the bench, today I'll dress up like someone on THAT side," and the other white folks just laughed and laughed.

[Perfxion 0]

Couldn't he just wear the jumpsuit alone. That would have prevented all of this. But he went to make himself a black person. It was typecasting blacks as criminals. You would think a judge of all people would learn to NOT be biased.