Some
people
really
struggle
with
distinguishing
between
individual
and
systemic
responsibility
when
both
are
at
play.
For
example,
as
important
as
it
is
to
make
sure
that
individual
drivers
obey
speed
limits
and
pay
attention
to
the
road
and
that
pedestrians
look
both
ways
before
they
cross
the
street,
intersections
are
a
structural
factor
that
can
amplify
harms
depending
on
how
they’re
planned
and
built.
Judges
ought
to
be
aware
of
all
sorts
of
individual
and
systemic
factors
that
influence
law
breaking.
A
failure
to
understand
one
of
those
factors,
race,
got
Oakland
County
judge
Kathleen
Ryan
in
hot
water
last
September.
A
secret
recording
caught
her
going
off
about
not
being
a
structural
racist
but
a
new
racist,
spurred
on
by
things
like
#BlackLivesMatter.
For
the
record,
if
you
were
pissed
off
about
Black
people
complaining
about
being
killed
extrajudicially,
there’s
nothing
new
about
your
racism
—
I’m
sure
The
Red
Record
would
have
annoyed
you
too
were
you
around
for
it.
Since
we
last
covered
Judge
Ryan,
she’s
decided
to
retire.
WXYZ
has
coverage:
A
controversial
Oakland
County
probate
judge
who
was
accused
of
making
racist
and
homophobic
comments
will
not
be
back
on
the
bench….Judge
Ryan
has
essentially
been
on
paid
leave
for
15
months,
but
her
lawyers
tell
the
7
Investigators
she
is
now
voluntarily
retiring.
There’s
a
special
irony
in
a
judge
who
accused
Black
Americans
of
needing
to
step
up,
do
their
jobs,
and
not
be
lazy
asses
getting
paid
for
a
year
and
some
change
for
doing
absolutely
nothing.
The
real
grift
is
in
saying
racist
shit
and
getting
paid
for
it.
Between
her
and
GoFundMes
for
people
who
get
caught
yelling
slurs,
being
an
ethical
and
impartial
judge
just
leaves
too
much
money
on
the
table.
Maybe
Clarence
Thomas
is
onto
something.
Now
that
the
judge
of
13
years
is
off
the
bench,
her
seat
will
be
open
to
a
jurist
who,
hopefully,
is
not
a
racist
or
one
of
its
limited
edition
flankers.
Fairness
and
impartiality
are
the
hallmarks
of
good
judges
—
it
is
a
shame
that
Ryan
was
able
to
sneak
through
whatever
fail-safes
were
put
up
to
filter
out
bigoted
people
from
donning
the
robes.
Oakland
County
Judge
Who
Called
Herself
A
‘New
Racist’
Vacates
Position
After
WXYZ
Investigation
[WXYZ]
Earlier:
‘New
Racist’
Judge
Kicked
Off
Bench
For
Racist
Remarks
About
Black
Americans
Chris
Williams
became
a
social
media
manager
and
assistant
editor
for
Above
the
Law
in
June
2021.
Prior
to
joining
the
staff,
he
moonlighted
as
a
minor
Memelord™
in
the
Facebook
group Law
School
Memes
for
Edgy
T14s
.
He
endured
Missouri
long
enough
to
graduate
from
Washington
University
in
St.
Louis
School
of
Law.
He
is
a
former
boatbuilder
who
is
learning
to
swim, is
interested
in
critical
race
theory,
philosophy,
and
humor,
and
has
a
love
for
cycling
that
occasionally
annoys
his
peers.
You
can
reach
him
by
email
at [email protected]
and
by
tweet
at @WritesForRent.