Spirit of Solomon from a Shoelace. 4/13/2012

U.S. Judge Andrew J. Guilford spoke at Newport Mesa Tea Party 4/12/12

The Spirit of Solomon was in attendance.

During the question and answer time after Guilford’s talk someone brought up Supreme Court Judge Ginsburg’s comment to the Egyptians.

Ginsburg said:

"I would not look to the U.S. Constitution, if I were drafting a constitution in the year 2012," Ginsburg said in an interview on AlHayat television last Wednesday. "I might look at the constitution of South Africa. That was a deliberate attempt to
have a fundamental instrument of government that embraced basic human rights,
have an independent judiciary. It really is, I think, a great piece of work that was done."

Judge Guilford understandably exhibited discomfort with Ginsburg’s statement as well as with similar incidents where US judges have referred to other countries’ constitutions, case law and precedents when making decisions.

The Judge was cautiously ‘judicious’ in expressing his nausea, since Ginsburg “grades his papers”.

I was allowed the last comment at the end of the Q&A and offered the Judge a principle that might help guide Federal judges when they get the urge to reach beyond our law and Constitution. I said:

“Judges should feel free to reach outside the United States Constitution and case law in making decisions, as long as the country the decision comes from has a constitution older than ours.”

The reaction from the Judge, the MC, and the crowd was palpable. Because I’m not a seasoned speaker, I did a little fumbling while getting out the first part of my statement, which may have caused a little awkward discomfort as sometimes a good set up is for a punch line is.   One of the greatest elements of wit is surprise. 

After a bit of a pause while the Judge recovered he seemed delighted to use my statement to segue this closing remarks by reiterating his opening statement which was posed as a question to the audience: “What is the greatest event in the last thousand years?” 

To which the answer is: the signing of United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. 

I was walking in the Spirit of Solomon, let me tell you why.

Earlier in the day, I found myself frustrated with the ridiculous 54 inch length of the laces in my shoes.  Now my time and focus might seem to have been better served  on loftier subjects, but this recurring issue of those long laces had just gone on long enough!  I was incapacitated from thinking about anything else.  It took me a while to succumb to the silliness of stopping everything and driving to a shoe store to get the right length, but that’s just what I did. 

I like the quality of lace that came with the shoes (I have six pair of the same shoes, two  never worn), and I know Wal-Mart where I bought the shoes doesn’t sell laces of that quality because I’ve looked, so I thought I’d find a real shoe store and  headed toward one of the malls.  Yes I drove to a mall to buy shoe laces!

I pulled into Bella Terra, and the only place visible from the parking lot was REI, not exactly a shoe store, but a store that sells higher end stuff.  I couldn’t help but feel like I was some kind of social climber to dedicate a mission to shoelaces and then end up in REI, but there I was in the hiking climbing shoe department for my life elevating continuity sustaining shoe lace acquisition.

Upon asking the 1970s Kenny Loggins impersonator/hiking shoe salesman if they had laces, he pointed out that I was standing right next to them.  Alas, waterproof Oval silver 48” laces, just as I required, and for a measly $4.95. Not exactly Wal-Mart but what was I expecting, anyway.  I grabbed four pair. Man do I feel elite! 

They have these hiking climbing boots for over $200. I found myself transfixed on a pair of Solomons high on a shelf and out of reach.  My third or fourth pair of ski boots were (and are) Solomons and wearing them was like emerging through the veil from purgatory to heaven compared to the previous series of bone clamps.  My difficulty with ski boots is the same as  with shoes, that’s why when I find a pair that that fit, I buy six  just in case they go out of production  before I die. My
response to the checkout girl to her offer that I join the REI coop was: “Maybe later when I make enough to buy something other than shoelaces."

I have absolutely no illusions about walking out of REI in $220 boots but for me that time looking high on the shelf at the name “Solomon” would later give that otherwise trivial pursuit meaning. 

I had been invited personally by phone, by email, and then again by robo-call to the Newport-Mesa Tea Party meeting, and with all the other procrastinations of the day, going to it was about all I was likely to accomplish.  By the time I
arrived at the meeting I was fighting off mild depression that that meeting was
all I could account for the day, and so I sat and prayed that at least there I might do some good. 

I approached the judge at the end of the meeting, and sensed that he was still a bit stunned by what I had said as he engaged me in a continuation of his displeasure of Ginsburg’s gaffe and its implications. I cannot help but think that my comments will now be integrated into his “Greatest event in the last thousand years” theme. 

The shoe string thing was a set up. 

I’m being guided.  It didn’t stop there.  To take the time to write it out this morning was also from a prompt.  When I was waking this morning I heard my computer reboot.  It doesn’t do that often but I thought maybe we had a power out that would have caused it.

I walked into my office and by that time it was fully booted and strangely Microsoft Word was open with a fresh new page with the cursor blinking in the upper left, as if to say:” Wayne, it’s time to write.”  As I sat at the keyboard it was only then that the fixation on Solomon and the inspiration at the Tea Party came together in my mind.  After all, I was able to lend advice to a Federal Judge; at least I can count that to redeem my day.

Now if you will excuse me, I must get on with my new day of procrastinations.

Wayne  Harropson

Read more (Ginsberg): http://tinyurl.com/6mup3nd

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And if you want to see what I look like in those Solomon boots you’re just going to have to wait for my movie, here’s a sample of what it’ll be modeled after. http://tinyurl.com/7826teo