QUOTE(SB_Johnny @ Sun 24th October 2010, 12:35pm)
QUOTE(Minor4th @ Sun 24th October 2010, 3:09pm)
I was intrigued by the way Godwin handled the FBI seal inquiry and thought it was incredibly foolish and risky to taunt the Feds with a letter that read like an ANI argument. I mean, doesnt everyone know the Feds are vindictive and they'll find a reason to make life miserable if you get their attention? I don't know if that has anything to do with this termination, but reading between the lines, the comment about Godwin doing what he thought was in WMF's best interest (read, Godwin's judgment sucks) -- that could apply to the way he handled the FBI sitch. There are probably others if that is the way Godwin goes about practicing law..
Indeed. When a lawyer starts sounding like a wikilawyer in "#real_life" situations, he should probably stay away from the bar and/or any keyboard that's connected to a modem.
I hope our resident lawyers won't be tempted to say yes to an inside hire, because that way lies a dead end.
Our resident lawyers are plenty smart enough to know that.
If the FBI matter was part of it, Godwin was ill-used, since I doubt he did anything without consulting Sue. She probably asked him if the law was on WMF's side and he told her it was, and she then said: "Good, because we don't take down anything we don't absolutely have to." So he asked what he should do, and she probably told him to point out the law to the FBI. Which he did. If there were any repercussions, I imagine them sort of like this:
Sue: "Mike, I hear the FBI is really mad at us, now!"
Godwin: "Well, I don't know why. I just pointed out that the law is aimed at reproducing I.D. cards and such.."
Sue: "But you didn't have to be so condescending while doing it. I know I laughed at the letter before you sent it, but I'm not a lawyer. You're supposed to be wiser in these matters. Now they'll think that being snide, is insulting to them personally."
Godwin: "It's not. Lawyers do this all the time and don't take it personally. At the FBI they're big boys and can tell the difference between making fun of an idea and making fun of the people who believe the idea..."
Sue: "You don't know your history! Do you know Galileo attacked the ideas of some high-up Roman Catholic Church people, and they held that he was attacking the church itself?"
Godwin: "What do I care what the Catholic Church did?"
Sue: "The Catholic Church speaks for the views of God Almighty. So obviously God thinks this way, too."
Godwin: "Er, you know I'm Jewish, don't you?"
Sue: "Speaking of which! If your people weren't always making snarky and legalistic arguments to put people down, maybe a lot fewer of them would have wound up in prison camps. Ever thought of that?"
Godwin. "Oy, I saw this coming..."