Category: Constitutional Law

Duncan Hunter: Deport the Children of Illegal Aliens

Rep. Duncan Hunter has called for the deportation of the children of illegal aliens born in this country. I discussed this issue last night on Countdown. Jus soli (“law of ground”) or “birthright citizenship” is recognized in some form by nations like France and the United States while rejected by others.

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Report: Justice Department Moving to Challenge Arizona Law

The Justice Department is reportedly moving toward challenging the Arizona law. If true, it would be a rare case where the United States directly challenges a state law as opposed to waiting to intervene as an amicus. Given the increasing number of cities and citizens planning to challenge the law, there is no paucity of plaintiffs requiring such a challenge. I will be discussing this issue tonight on Countdown.

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Riddle Me This: Texas Rep Calls for Adoption of Arizona Immigration Law

Rep. Debbie Riddle of Tomball, Texas has announced that she will seek to introduce the Arizona immigration law in Texas. While criticized as unconstitutional by both conservatives and liberals alike, Riddle wants to see the law adopted in the Lone Star state. I will be discussing the constitutionality of the law on tonight’s Countdown.

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Citizens in Lebanon Rally Against Religion in Government

There is a glimmer of hope in the Middle East. In a recent large-scale protest, citizens rose up in a rare public demonstration to get religion out of politics. Sunday’s Secular Pride March shows that there are many people in countries like Lebanon who are want a separation of church and state — and are willing to risk their lives to fight for secular government. In the meantime, people in the United States like Sarah Palin are trying to take this country in the opposite direction by taking down the wall of separation, here.

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Danish Newspaper Allegedly Forces Controversial Cartoonist Into Retirement in Wake of Threats From Muslim Extremists

Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard recently survived worldwide calls by Muslims for his murder and a recent attack at his home by a Muslim with an axe. His newspaper the Jyllands-Posten daily newspaper has responded by effectively firing him — allegedly to avoid further death threats from extremists. If true, it is only the latest example of newspapers and publishers caving in to such threats, including the shameful act of censorship by Comedy Central and a similar act by Yale University Press.
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Prosecutors Charge Former Nurse With Encouraging Suicide

There is a fascinating case in Minneapolis that raises some important free speech issues in an assisted suicide case. William Melchert-Dinkel, 47, was charged with two felony counts of aiding suicide under a Minnesota law that criminalizes even verbal encouragement of suicide. Adding to the novelty is the fact that state prosecutors are charging Melchert-Dinkel in deaths that occurred not only outside the state but outside the country.
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Seattle Cartoonist Declares May 20th as “Everybody Draw Mohammed Day”

While a Saudi lawyer is suing in England over the Danish cartoon controversy (here), Seattle cartoonist Molly Norris has declared May 20th “Everybody Draw Mohammed Day.” Norris took the action after the shameful decision of Comedy Central to censor an episode of South Park after Muslims threatened to kill the creators of South Park for showing Mohammed in a bear suit.
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Saudi Lawyer To Sue In England Over Danish Cartoons on Behalf of the Descendants of Mohammed

Muslim lawyers are continuing their campaign against Danish newspapers over those Mohammed cartoons, even after one newspaper, Politiken, apologized to Muslims. Now, in England, they have filed a lawsuit on behalf of 95,000 direct descendants of Mohammad over the cartoons filed in Denmark.
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Governor Signs Controversial Immigration Law Amid Promises of Legal Challenges

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has signed that state’s new immigration bill despite widespread questions over its constitutionality. Shortly before Brewer announced the signing, President Barack Obama ordered the Justice Department to monitor possible civil rights violations, here.

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Not Funny: Comedy Central Accused of Self-Censorship of South Park

We previously posted on the death threats levied against South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, here. The extremists appear to have succeeded. Comedy Central confirmed that they blocked out mention of Mohammad’s name and image in the later episode.

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Three Kentucky Teens Arrested For Allegedly Beating Lesbian High School Student and Trying to Throw Her Off a Cliff

In what could be a female version of the Matthew Shepard case, three high school girls from Kentucky are accused of beating a friend and trying to throw her off a cliff because she is a lesbian. Corinne Schwab and Ashley Sams, both 18, and an unnamed 17-year-old girl have been arrested in the case.
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New York Town Threatens To Use Eminent Domain If Citizens Do Not Sell Out To Powerful Developer

Despite the criticism of the Supreme Court’s eminent domain ruling in Kelo, the city of Auburn, New York appears undeterred and is threatening to invoke eminent domain to seize private property for a private company. The Kelo opinion was wrongly decided in allowing a Connecticut town to seize homes to give the land to a private company. Putting that flawed legal logic aside, I am astonished that elected officials continue to abuse eminent domain powers in this way and shows the need for state laws barring the practice. Mayor Mike Quill insists that the interests of the majority (and one powerful developer) must trump the property rights of a few citizens.
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Playing Center Field: Three Men Sue Organization Over Allegedly Being Found Insufficiently Gay

There is an interesting discrimination lawsuit filed in Seattle where three bisexual men –Steven Apilado, LaRon Charles and Jon Russ — say that were barred by the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance from participating in the Gay Softball World Series because they were insufficiently gay. According to the lawsuit, the men are playing center field in their private life and need to pick a team — totally gay or straight.

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South Park Creators Threatened With Death Over Depiction of Muhammad

Trey Parker and Matt Stone are the latest writers or artists to face death threats over a depiction of Muhammad. In this case, the threats are based on an image of Muhammad in a bear suit on the cartoon program “South Park.” Abu Talhah Al-Amrikee of RevolutionMuslim wrote on his Twitter account “May Allah kill Matt Stone and Trey Parker and burn them in Hell for all eternity. They insult our prophets Muhammad, Jesus, and Moses…”
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