Justice Samuel Alito’s choice to stay on in January 6th-related cases has drawn some heat. The disagreement is feeding a storm of discontent on cable news, with some liberal commentators aiming their frustrations directly at him. But are these attacks warranted? Or is it just another episode of the political tug-of-war that’s become all too common in our nation?
Joy Reid from MSNBC and her legal analyst, Melissa Murray, expressed their discontent over Alito’s decision recently. Murray took issue with the Justice’s refusal to refrain from cases concerning the rights of unborn children, suggesting he was disrespectful to Americans. She argued that Alito was trolling his audience and depriving millions of American women the right to make decisions about their bodies. That’s a heavy claim to make considering Alito’s been a voice for constitutional and judicial restraint, qualifying “rights” within the parameters of the constitution.
Then Reid moved on to the incident of Alito’s wife flying a flag, labeling it as a “mini-scandal”. That’s something Washington Post decided was not worth covering, seeing it as a fuss about nothing. It seems like the liberal media is keen on stirring pots that don’t necessarily need stirring.
Their intense scrutiny of Alito didn’t stop there though. Reid and Murray didn’t hesitate to toss stones at “these conservative justices,” criticizing their supposed inability to “control their wives.” The pair suggested justices like Alito and Clarence Thomas were over-compensating for their personal lives by imposing controlling policies on women. But isn’t this a bit of a stretch? Defending the constitution is a far cry from a gender power struggle.
According to Reid and Murray, these conservative women were somehow running the show in their homes while the justices were trying to establish a “19th-century style control of the state.” A rather imaginative perspective to take on legal rulings.
They concluded their segment with a cheeky play on words suggesting that Justice “Clarence Thomas walked, so Sam Alito could run.” While their wordplay can be amusing, is this really the conversation we need to be having about the serious business of justice?
In the heated battle of politics, it seems the liberal media often takes every opportunity to attack conservative figures. But this kind of sensationalist character assassination doesn’t solve any of the serious issues our nation faces. In reality, these conservative justices like Alito are doing their job: interpreting the constitution and making the tough calls. It’s a conversation we need to have, but it needs to be grounded in the reality of the role these justices play, not stirred up into a provocative spectacle.
