Dave McIntire, responding to Jerry Loney's letter, says that blanket non-retention of judges is irresponsible voting and bad civics. I disagree.

The imposing authority of family courts hits both mothers and fathers hard. Two parents enter, one parent and one visitor leave. Usually it is the father, but many mothers are also segregated into visitor status. Regardless of who thinks he or she has won, the result is that the family is broken, the children have one less parent, America becomes that much weaker and "the system" becomes that much richer.

Attorneys, psychiatrists, mediators and a host of other professions have created a multibillion dollar divorce industry on the broken backs of families. Judges are entrusted to maintain justice, but more often than not they abuse their authority to enrich their friends and supporters.

There is one reason I disagree with Jerry Loney, because I know of one judge in Shawnee County who is fit and just. However, they do not even honor her with the title of judge; she's an administrative hearing officer. I guess there is more than one way to marginalize justice.

As for irresponsible voting, most voters blindly vote to retain (keep) all judges because they have no clue as to how corrupt and broken the system is. That is irresponsible voting.

When judges violate the rules of ethics, accept bribes and hook up their professional golf buddies by abusing their authority, it is time to remove them. When Enron crashed, everyone looked straight at the CEO and other leaders. It makes no difference if the thug wears a business suit, a ski mask or a black robe -- a thug is a thug and deserves to be in prison.

THOMAS LESSMAN, Kansas president, American Coalition of Families and Citizens

Rein in judges
By Bruce Eden      Date:  6-02-05
Source URL:  http://www.cjonline.com/stories/060205/opi_letters.shtml

I am responding to the letter of Dave McIntire and his sophistry about booting out "honorable" and "earnest" judges in a non-retention vote as being irresponsible because some citizens are mad at them. He makes further specious allegations that this would deprive the community of good people in the judiciary.

He then states a "capricious citizenry" diminishes the community. I guess he hasn't read the writings of our forefathers about the judiciary and many who have written since that time. They talk about the judiciary becoming an oligarchy, becoming corrupt, becoming tyrannical. All of their premonitions about the judiciary have come true.

Mr. McIntire is either a lawyer, judge or a supporter of same. He makes capricious and arbitrary conclusions that somehow there are earnest and honorable people in the judiciary. He should read the papers and look at the corruption in the courts around the country. The judiciary is the new monarchy in this country. It is the most powerful branch of government and uses the force of a gun to acquire jurisdiction over people's lives, property and liberty.

Force doesn't equate to due process. Due process by the judiciary is an illusion and a public relations scam. It has infiltrated all branches of government and has screwed up the country as a result.

Abe Lincoln said it best standing over the grave of a lawyer and reading the epitaph: "Here lies a good man and a lawyer." Lincoln then said (paraphrasing), "I didn't know you could bury two people in the same grave."

BRUCE EDEN, director, Fathers Rights Association of New Jersey