Roberts on State of the Union "Controversy"

I have often asked why they wear their robes to the State of the Union Address (or if they wear their robes everywhere), but Chief Justice Roberts asks a more interesting question: why do Supreme Court Justices show up at the State of the Union Address at all?

Speaking to a group of students at the University of Alabama, Roberts opined:

The image of having the members of one branch of government standing up, literally surrounding the Supreme Court, cheering and hollering while the court — according the requirements of protocol — has to sit there expressionless, I think is very troubling.

That doesn't undermine the fact that it was inappropriate for Justice Alito to respond the way he did, but I think Roberts makes a good point here.