Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Cynthia Henley Joins the Blawgosphere

My friend and fellow member of the Defense Bar, Cynthia Henley is joining the ranks of Mark Bennett, Paul Kennedy, and me as a new person who is willing to be yelled at for putting her thoughts on criminal justice in writing. She's just getting started with her blog, so bookmark her website and see what she has to say.

Welcome to the Blawgosphere, Cynthia! It will definitely teach you to have a thick skin!

6 comments:

Rage Judicata said...

Who's yelling at you? I have yet to see some paradigm shift that would cause your ADA buddies to see you as a threat.

Murray Newman said...

Rage,
I gotta say I admire you.
You admit that you don't practice that often in the Harris County Criminal Justice Center, yet you haven't let it slow you down one bit on pontificating about how everybody else does their job as if you were the World's Foremost Authority on it. I mean seriously, some people who admitted that they didn't have a real basis of knowledge in the subject matter would, under normal circumstances, probably keep their opinions to themselves. You haven't let that slow you down one bit.
By the way, you attacked Arthur Seaton's experience on another post, but I'll address it here. Mr. Seaton had a good career in the civil world where he was making much more money. He elected to practice criminal law because it was his passion. And he does a good job at it too. He has an amazing work ethic that other people could learn from.
I guess he felt it would be pretty weak to be commenting on criminal law without actually having developed a basis of knowledge about it. I guess he didn't quite have your cajones to blatantly go yammering on about crap you don't fully get.
God bless ya, Rage. You are truly a Real Man of Genius.

Anonymous said...

That's some seriously thick skin you've got yourself there, Murray.

Murray Newman said...

I have much thicker skin than I used to. Sadly, most of it is clearly visible on the top of my head.

Gritsforbreakfast said...

Murray, regarding your reaction to Rage, I'm afraid part of the problem is that those who DO practice often at the HCCJC - particularly on the prosecution side - have come to believe that nothing matters except the good opinion of their friends who also work there.

That attitude is PRECISELY why your pal Kelly Siegler didn't do better in the primary last year, and why so many of her colleagues were shocked when voters chose an outsider to run the DA's office.

Being an insider gives you better perspective on some things, but on many topics it also decidedly limits one's view. What goes on in the courthouse is happening on everyone's behalf - for "the people," as it were - and they (we) all get to have opinions, too.

As for growing a thicker skin, I agree one should only blog on crimjust topics if they're "willing to be yelled at." Going through new comments this morning alone on Grits I was called a "dickwad," accused of supporting child molestation, and also derided as a "moron" because I lack a college degree - all anonymously. Around my shop we call that "a typical Friday." No doubt, if you can't take the heat, stay the hell out of the blogging kitchen!

Cyn said...

Thanks, M! I've only had 3 nice comments - but we shall see after today! Still wish I could figure out how to hook my blog to facebook. And, I do admire you & your frankness on your blog. You inspired me. ; )

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