I'm An Asshole . . . And I'm Proud of It!

(Story Linked in title.)

To begin with, Sarah E. Muller of Summerfield, Florida, is an idiot. She should be aware that as a general rule it cannot help your cause to refer to a judge in his own courtroom as an "asshole". Just as it can't be considered very good practice to refer to the officer who has just pulled you over for driving eighty in a school zone in less than flattering terms while he's asking for your license, registration, and current location of your common sense.

However, upon reading the tale as recounted online at ocala.com from the Star-Banner it would seem that Ms. Muller's assessment of Judge R. James McCune Jr. (what exactly is it with those people who feel compelled to be known as "First Initial Middle Name" anyway?) is completely accurate if somewhat less than politically correct.

After initially expressing herself, Judge R. James asked her to clarify her remark. Perfectly following the instructions given, Sarah repeated her character assessment of the jurist.

For doing exactly as instructed the judge charged her with "direct criminal contempt of the court".

Applying logic like that, anyone who is pulled over on the highway and asked to exit the vehicle is in a tough spot. Comply, and you stand to be charged with being a pedestrian on the highway. Refuse, and your stuck with failure to obey an officer. Certainly seems like an opportunity for less than fully scrupulous jurisdictions to engage in a bit of revenue enhancement if nothing else.

Back to our friend the judge though. Clearly no one enjoys being referred to as a solid waste transfer orifice. Particularly if they are one. That aside, the offense is so trivial that at most is merits no more than a stern admonishment about how one should properly comport oneself in public venue. Certainly three days in jail and $233 in fines, fees, and court costs (not to mention the theoretical maximum of six months in jail and a $500 fine!) is beyond excessive.

Any person with the authority to mete out such punishments should be a big enough person that they don't actually need to do so.

There are only two possible messages the actions of the Right Honorable Judge R. James McCune Jr. sends to Ms. Muller and to the community at large. Neither of those messages is positive.

The first is that good ol' R. Jimmie is an outwardly pretentious self important snob who feels nothing but contempt for the little people, while inwardly he is a craven, insecure little twit who has no business holding the bench he sits upon.

The second possible message is that he stands in front of the shaving mirror every morning singing Dennis Leary's paean "I'm An Asshole". I suspect I'm right, Jimmy, in thinking that Carly Simon would be dead on in accusing you of thinking this song is about you.

And you're proud of it.