Tuesday, March 15, 2016

MEL STA. MARIA | Questioning the Supreme Court on the Grace Poe citizenship ruling






"x x x.

Lastly, should we stop criticizing the Supreme Court decision?

The answer is “no” if we think it is wrong. I respect the Supreme Court, but, as Justice Holmes said, “one may criticize even what one reveres.” Supreme Court decisions should not be immune from critical debate and its magistrates from legitimate animadversions. This is especially true considering that it is the only branch of government that decides in close chambers and whose decisions affecting the whole nation are made by men and women without direct mandate from the people. Only in this way can we make these Supreme Court justices, who get their salaries from the people’s taxes, feel accountable to the public. We must remember that they are fallible human beings like all of us. They too can err and be unduly influenced. Justice Brewer, former US Supreme Court Justice, said:

“Justices should be the objects of constant watchfulness by all, and their judgments subject to the freest criticism. The time is past in the history of the world when any living man or body of men can be set on a pedestal and decorated with a halo. True, many criticisms may be, like their authors, devoid of good taste, but better all sorts of criticism than no criticism at all. The moving waters are full of life and health; only in the still waters is stagnation and death.”

x x x."