1 Law 4 All. Billy Angel

laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students are unconstitutional.”

      Jimmy continued. “The Brown decision overturned the separate but equal doctrine established in 1896 by the Plessy vs. Ferguson decision.”

      “Thank you, boys. Are they right, Juan?” Carol asked.

      Juan sitting at the other end of the couch appeared as comfortable as a bird resting on the ground in the shade. He looked up giving Mac and Jimmy the good-job gaze. “They’re right on.”

      Jimmy beamed with confidence. “Are you guys ready for a game of Place that Case?” A by-product of their eating out together, ‘Place that Case’ was a game they made up as a study group. At times they became so vocal, those dining around them at King Ling or Chucks would join in the fun even though they were clueless about the facts.

      ‘Place the Case’ game involves relating the place they were at in the present time with cases that may have affected this specific place. There were no legal boundaries. Any logical connection was considered permissible.

      Mac remembered several cases he stumped Jimmy with at dinner tonight. Being in a sort of Eurasian fantasyland stirred his interest in anything Asian including case law. The night before, he had glanced over several cases involving Asians in the United States. He was ready to spring some of them on Juan and Carol.

      Mac smiled at them with a ‘gotcha look’. “Lum v. Rice” he said. Jimmy recalled their dinner conversation and added, “Think Asian!”

      Juan blinked his eyes. "Da. How can you not think Asian with a Chinese name like Lum and the word, rice."

      Carol responded before Juan finished his thought. She was impulsive and born conversation-ready. “Lum attempted to have the Japanese classified as a white race."

      “Same time period but that’s the wrong case. You’re thinking of a 1922 case, Takao Ozawa v. United States.”

      Juan entered the conversation. “Lum v. Rice is a 1927 Supreme Court case. This decision supported segregation. The case held that a Chinese child could be excluded from whites in public schools. That’s Mississippi for you. They had enough blacks to build separate schools but not enough Chinese. The final disposition required all non-whites, including Chinese, had to go to the black schools.”

      Juan felt momentarily pleased with himself. And before looking at the book again, he said, “Plyler v. Doe.”

      Carol’s back straightened. “That’s another education case.”

      Before she could finish, Jimmy exclaimed. “That was a 1982 landmark Supreme Court decision. In Plyler v. Doe, the Court ruled that children of illegal aliens have the constitutional right to a free and appropriate public education.”

      “That’s exactly what I was going to say,” Carol said glaring at Jimmy.

      Mac cut in, “Plyler v. Doe is one of the reasons California’s bankrupt. Illegals are trying to take the state back and we are teaching them how to do it!”

      “Tonight is study night,” said Jimmy. “Let’s leave the politics for another time.”

      Mac, the idealist, has a passion for fairness and equal enforcement of the law. The blindfolded statue of lady law symbolizes Mac’s passion. He reasoned the blindfold keeps lady justice from showing prejudice. Being on the right side of the law was not a matter of race, social standing or financial status in Mac’s opinion.

      “Ok, but you know what the illegals are doing to this state and the country is not fair to honest, hard working, tax-paying citizens. It’s not even fair for those entering this country legally.”

      Juan looked up. “You want a story about fairness. Did you know at the turn of this century, lynching was common place in the south? Few people know that Jews were hung with regularity along with Blacks. Some folks were actually entertained by the scene. Local lynching spots came complete with benches and refreshments. The spectators would eat while a person was beaten then hung by the neck. Where’s the fairness?”

      “There was no justice for Blacks, and I guess, Jews either. Today, there is no justice for the tax-paying, U.S. citizen,” proclaimed Mac.

      “Focus, focus, focus” said Carol. “Mac after you pass the bar, you can play Don Quijote and chase all the unfair windmills you want.”

      Chapter 7 Limo to Meeting

      The Giardina’s plane landed on the south runway 28R. It taxied to the east VIP hangers near North Access road. A black stretch limousine idled close to where the plane stopped.

      Senator Giardina and her executive assistant, Eric, deplaned unceremoniously. The driver, a burly, body-guard type, opened the door for them. They sped off on 101 north to the City.

      Giardina felt uncomfortable in the limousine even with her freshly poured, scotch and water. Her bottom still felt moist after sponging off in the plane's bathroom. Her uneasiness subsided when she remembered one of her father’s many useful quips.

      She recalled a car ride with him when she was twelve. Her father had just finished inspecting something stored in a dirty old barn. Later, she realized that it was marijuana stacked like bales of hay. He didn’t have time to clean himself before going to the banquet.

      During the ride, he removed dirt from his fingernails and noticed she was watching. He told her he felt all grimy. But that didn’t matter. When you’re in public, dress the part and act normal. No one will know how you feel, unless (he emphasized unless) you tell them.

      Bonni's gray pinstriped, pantsuit looked professional. She had worn this same pantsuit after her and Eric had sex the first time. Later that evening, she attended a fundraising dinner with her husband. That meal raised $200,000 for her reelection campaign. Bonni took a long pull on her cigarette, sipped the scotch and relaxed in those memories.

      The Senator reverted back to the present as Eric handed her several files. She gazed at him for a long second and then the files. She began to fantasize about the plane ride back to DC, when Eric said, "these files have the information you requested about the Motorhead incident." She reached out and took the files. He continued, "The board will review this situation in a closed-door session after the general meeting, tonight."

      "Well, if we have to get down to business, let's do it,” she sighed.

      The first folder dealt with the early unionization attempts at the Motorhead factory. Senator Giardina always cultivated close relationships with organized labor except in Motorhead's case. She was motivated by something closer to her heart than votes, money.

      Every union in the bay area had contributed money and time to Senator Giardina's election and subsequent re-elections. Giardina couldn't help thinking that she owed her publically supported, pompous life-style in part to these middle class, labor types.

      Her father had taught her how to keep the unions happy. Once in public office, she made sure to sponsor or co-sponsor legislation favorable to union causes. Her intentions would solidify a positive image of her with union membership.

      If or when legislation negatively effecting unions appeared in the Senate, she would use her considerable influence to help vote it down. Not a moment’s consideration was given to how taxpaying, non-union people would be affected. During this process, Bonni showed no respect for the general public. She knew that very few, if any, would pay attention to the legislation accept the union leaders, anyways.

      Senator Giardina noticed the name Patea Tuafa as the major union organizer. The details of this situation raced back sending sparkling chills up her back. A fire had killed him and his entire family.

      Giardina remembered that Motorhead's workers wanted to unionize. She also remembered downplaying any union loyalties to keep the company’s profits up. She realistically knew that any union would greatly increase the company's overhead and take money out of her pocket.

      "Our subcommittee resolved this issue," Bonni breathed not wanting to recall any more details