Judicial quality
Regarding “Justice Kennedy cannot step down now” (Page A11, Tuesday), the whole premise of Ruth Marcus’ column is that President Donald Trump does not have Kennedy’s qualifications, whose career is “characterized by insistence on civility, respect for the dignity of all individuals, and commitment to the rule of law.” She is certain that Trump would nominate someone completely unqualified for the position.
Never once does she mention the one justice that Trump actually nominated, Neil Gorsuch. Not only is Gorsuch highly qualified, he is known for his civility and respect for all individuals. see the lights flashing what the problem is before the officer gets to my window.
The issue of respect is more complicated. If a video or recording is made of the stop and can be studied and analyzed, more accurate information can be gathered. However, the televised videos that I have seen often exhibit what I would call disrespectful attitude to the officer either in the form of resistance or discourteous language that escalates the situation.
It is often said that new drivers of color are often given the “talk” about how to act when pulled over by police. But, I and all others of all backgrounds I know also give this speech to their young. Cepeda’s brother-in-law is right: Officers need to show respect and politeness to those being stopped. But that is a two-way street. Julia Purtill, Richmond