When you elect a judge, you expect them to give fair sentences and treat people with respect. That has to be the bare minimum. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always happen and judges are not always impartial as we expect. Not to mention it can be tough to pinpoint someone’s true feelings. Well, one probate judge from Michigan made it really easy for us when she let her feelings be known of people of color, the MeToo movement, and the LGBTQIA+ community.
Revealed and reported by the 7 Investigators of WXYZ Detroit, a recording was released of Judge Kathleen Ryan making racist and homophobic comments. For good measure, she even shared her disdain for Black Lives Matter and the MeToo movement. These comments include:
“I’m not systematically racist, I’m a new racist.”
“You want us to treat you equally you gotta [expletive] step up and do the same job! You know, you don’t get to be a lazy ass.”
-Kathleen Ryan
In regards to the Black Lives Matter movement, she stated “everyone’s all entitled and [expletive],” and that even if there’s such a thing as “systemic racism,” Black people should “step up to the plate.” Kathleen argues their “history” of “baby mommas” and fathers “taking off” should be addressed.
What Kathleen fails to understand—or is ignorant of—is Black people in America are a constant target due to system racism.
News reporters shared that she was able to collect income for the past 15 months while an investigation took place. She was placed on paid leave until she decided she was going to vacate her position and retire. In other words, Kathleen had the taxpayers of Michigan pay her salary. The Judicial Tenure Commission in Michigan decided not to take action against her. It seems like somebody wasn’t doing their job.
Imagine allowing a judge into a position where they’ll be working one-on-one with people in the criminal system. It makes you wonder how many times she’s given out an unfair judgment just based on sexuality and skin color.
A Probate Court Administrator finally took action after Kathleen Ryan harassed him after work hours and made both racist and inappropriate comments. He said on camera, “I’ve never met anybody that enjoys hurting people and brags about it the way she does.”
A segment of the report by 7ABC was shared by Ben Crump on Twitter, where several users took the opportunity to dunk on Kathleen:
“We already knew how these judges truly feel. The difference in sentencing on similar cases based on race. But they say we playing the victim card.”
“15 months collecting check without working?”
-Comments left on Twitter
Others called for her pension to be revoked and every case she was involved in to be reviewed. When she’s that open about her hatred, that’s the bare minimum.
