Letter: Supreme Court turns tyrannical

Monday, Dec. 18, 2000 | 10:42 a.m.

The U.S. Supreme Court interceded twice to prevent the counting of legitimately cast votes in Florida. In their most recent decision they also selected our new leader for us, because (they said) there is not enough time to count the votes. On Jan. 6 we will witness the coronation of King George II, with a swearing in by Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Under the old monarchy it was the pope who blessed and coronated the king. In our monarchy the chief justice will be standing in for the pope.

The triangulation of a conservative federal government has now been completed. The Congress, the judiciary and now the executive are firmly in the hands of conservatives. In this most recent episode, we see just how the tyranny of the majority works.

At this sad point in our history I remember how 40 years ago a liberal Supreme Court was instrumental in interpreting constitutional protections for black voters residing in states where local laws prevented them from entering the voting booth. That court stood for the principle that every citizen has a right to vote and that the vote of every citizen counts. This conservative court doesn't agree with those great principles and has now fashioned a precedent in the Constitution that holds that in an election there are only five votes that really count.

TED O. HALL