In Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford is lucky that he was not egged, tped, and then burned in effigy after he invited people to come to his office for Halloween after four to trick or treat and walk away with . . . copies of the Constitution. The Constitution is my life. I love the Constitution. I have spent a lifetime speaking and writing about the Constitution. However, it ain’t the same as a Reeces or Snickers bar. Indeed, Sanford needs to flip to the Eighth Amendment: “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” This was the infliction of cruel and unusual punishment on Halloween. Continue reading “Worst Halloween House [Member] Ever . . .”
Category: Media
Below is my column in The Hill newspaper on the now annual controversy over Halloween costumes and objections over cultural appropriation. This week universities mounted campaigns against offensive costumes while commentators lashed out at cultural appropriation. For example, students at Michigan State University this week were given warnings that a costume of a giant taco was not offensive but becomes offensive if the student puts on a sombrero. Other colleges threatened discipline for costumes that are culturally appropriating or inappropriate. These campaigns seem to grow each year even though we have never had a serious debate over the meaning and application of cultural appropriation charges over costumes.
Here is the column: Continue reading “Cultural Appropriation Is The Scariest Part Of Halloween This Year”
Many people followed the bizarre story of Susan Westwood, 51, who confronted two African American women in a parking lot. While sharply questioning the women on what they were doing in the parking lot, Westwood infamously and curiously proclaimed “I’m white and I’m hot. I’m white and I’m hot.” Notably, Westwood repeatedly brags about her $125,000 salary, stating “I’m white and I make $125,000 a year and I want to make sure that you’re all up in here.” She is now unemployed after her videotape went viral. Continue reading “I’m White, I’m Hot . . . I’m Unemployed”
We just hit another milestone this weekend with over 35,000,000 views. We are also recently closing in on 60,000 followers on Twitter. We like to call the site the “little engine that could” among blogs with our growing collection of people from around the world. Despite a few contributors who insist on personal characterizations and attacks, this site strives to be a place for civil but passionate discourse on legal and policy issues of our time (and perhaps a few wacky stories).
We often use these milestones to look at the current profile of the blog and its supporters around the world. As always, I want to offer special thanks to Darren Smith who continues help up with periodic technical problems and our many regular commentators and readers. We try to keep this blog as an open forum with as little interference or monitoring of the comments as possible. Given our free speech orientation, we try not to delete comments and, for that reason, we are deeply appreciative of how most people avoid personal or offensive comments in debating these issues. Obviously, our open forum allows trolls and others to spew comments that are at times offensive and obnoxious but we continue to believe that civil and balanced comments will prevail. Thank you for voluntarily assuming restraint over the tenor and content of your comments.
So here is our current profile:
In the aftermath of NBC cancelling Megyn Kelly’s show after her comments of growing up with black face costumes, the controversy continued over on CNN after CNN political analyst Kirsten Powers declared that the feelings of white people are irrelevant in barring the use of Indian and other costumes as cultural appropriation. When commentator Kris Paronto (who is famous for his role in guarding the CIA annex during the 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi) criticized Powers for saying the feelings of white people “didn’t matter,” Powers responded by calling Paronto and others criticism her “racists.” The exchange is an example of how little dialogue is actually occurring despite the focus on this issue. I have been critical of university efforts to ban certain Halloween outfits, but I can see the objections raised over their depiction. The problem is that no discussion is possible when maintaining an opposing view is instantly and conclusorily dismissed as racist. Continue reading “Costume Controversy Over Halloween Heats Up After Megyn Kelly’s Cancellation”
I have the honor today to delivering the keynote address at the school’s 12th Annual Conference on America’s Founding Principles and History. This year’s conference is entitled Hail to the Chief (Justice): An Examination of the Evolution of the Supreme Court. My address is entitled “Chief Among Equals: A Comparative Analysis of Chief Justices In History. It will be held in the Gaines Theatre at 3 pm.
Continue reading “Turley To Give Keynote Address At Christopher Newport University”
One of the largest Ontario school boards has sent out a warning to teachers that they should steer away from assigning the American classic To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The memo rejects the book for how its “white saviour” makes less characters look “less than human.” It also cites the use of the “N word” and its violent scenes as reasons to reject the book. We have previously discussed other efforts to ban the book. This is how school officials know sin. It is when they actively seek to discourage the reading of great literary works to “protect” students from the depictions of harsh realities and dehumanizing conditions. Atticus said “remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” Continue reading ““It’s a Sin To Kill A Mockingbird”: Canadian School Board Denounces American Classic As “Violent and Oppressive For Black Students””
We have previously discussed the alarming rollback on free speech rights in the West, particularly in France (here and here and here and here and here and here) and England ( here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here). Much of this trend is tied to the expansion of hate speech and non-discrimination laws. We have seen comedians targeted with such court orders under this expanding and worrisome trend. (here and here). Now the French parliament is considering the making of jokes or mockery over accents a form of prohibited discrimination. It is a ban on “Glottophobia”, the French term for discrimination based on pronunciation and tone. Continue reading “Banning “Glottophobia”: French Legislators Move To Ban The Mocking Of Accents”
Below is my column in The Hill newspaper on the surprising invocation of spousal privilege by Nellie Our to refuse to answer questions about her communications with her husband, Justice Department official Bruce Ohr. While the privilege remains an important protection, this invocation raises serious questions about its use where a husband and wife mix marital and professional relationships.
Here is the column: Continue reading “Till Death Do Us Part: Nellie Ohr Invokes Spousal Privilege To Refuse To Answer Questions From Congress”
Janet Arsanian, a teacher at Cortney Junior High School, is facing calls for her termination after her son dressed as Adolf Hitler for Halloween. The controversy rekindles our long debate over the free speech rights of teachers and public employees in controversial statements or actions in their private lives. Arsanian insisted that “we don’t worship Hitler or agree with what he did.” More importantly, there is no allegation that Arsanian has shown any intolerance or inappropriate responses in her role as a teacher. I share to reaction of many to such a costume as offensive but, as many on this blog know, I tend to follow a robust view of free speech in such controversies. Continue reading “Nevada Teacher Faces Calls For Termination After Her Son Dresses As Hitler For Halloween”
Judicial Watch has filed a bar complaint against counsel for Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. The complaint follows the issue raised earlier on this blog on the statement made by Ford that she was never told that the Committee had offered to fly to California. Attorneys Debra Katz, Lisa Banks, and Michael Bromwich deny the allegation and say that Ford was fully informed. These are very accomplished lawyers and I am inclined to believe them. That however raises serious questions about Ford’s sworn testimony and the attorneys offer a rather tortured explanation of the conflict. Continue reading “Bar Complaint Filed Against Counsel For Dr. Christine Blasey Ford”
In what could prove the most serious leak prosecution in decades, senior Treasure Department official Natalie Mayflower Sours Edwards, 40, has been charged with leaking information to the news organization, Buzzfeed, that she removed from her work at Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). According to the criminal complaint, she was the source of leaked financial information on Paul Manafort, Maria Butina and other suspects charged in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. While she allegedly first sought to conceal her relationship with a report and denied any contacts with the media, she later claimed to be a whistleblower. That is not likely to help her. She was reportedly found with a drive or memory device containing information in what could prove a lengthy sentence if convicted. Continue reading “Senior Treasury Official Charged With Leaking Material Related To Russian Investigation”
Journalist Jamal Khashoggi apparently wrote one last column before he was savagely murdered by agents of the the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia within its consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. There is mounting evidence that Khashoggi was killed by a team sent from Saudi Arabia including a forensic expert and a close security aide to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Turkish sources released the contents of a tape indicating that Khashoggi was literally cut up while alive by the Saudis and may have taken seven minutes to die. There are strong indications that the United States is desperately seeking any way not to sanction Saudi Arabia or lessen such sanctions, including the suggestion by President Donald Trump that “rogue” elements might be responsible. While Trump initially promised severe punishment if Khashoggi was murdered in the consulate, the fear of many is that the Administration will find a way to protect Saudi Arabia in the face of the torture and dismemberment of a respected intellectual. For some, Khashoggi is merely a name while Saudi Arabia represents billions in contracts and thousands of jobs. However, he was a person living in the United States and a journalist who fought for freedoms in the Middle East. While he also praised the Saudi Crown prince for some reforms (particularly in giving women more rights), he was a danger precisely because he bravely spoke of freedoms of speech and the press in a region where such expression often results in arrest or execution. The Crown Prince has insisted that Khashoggi was a “friend” and that he exited the building, but the Saudis can offer no proof of the exiting.
Now the Washington Post has published his last column. As fate would have it, Khashoggi wrote about press freedom and his dream that Middle Eastern nations could some day join the West and free and open nations. Continue reading “The Washington Post Publishes the Last Column Of Journalist Jamal Khashoggi Before His Brutal Murder By The Saudi Government”
I wrote a column yesterday in The Hill newspaper on the effort to strip away the honorary degree awarded to Sen. Susan Collins (R., Maine) in 2017 in retaliation for her vote to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh. One of the letters seeking the rescission was from roughly 100 professors from virtually every department within St. Lawrence University. What was most surprising was the assertion of these faculty members that St. Lawrence University has a “rape culture” and that Sen. Collins’ vote was in furtherance of that culture. Notably, there are only 217 full-time and part-time faculty at the university.
I have previously and repeatedly criticized President Donald Trump for his tweets and comments, including personal attacks and name calling that is below the dignity of his office. Some on this blog have (perhaps correctly) labeled me as something of a prude when it comes to foul language and uncivil exchanges in professional sports, academia, or politics. However, even discounting my sensitivity over such conduct by adults, this is a new low. After news of a judge tossing the defamation lawsuit of Stormy Daniels, Trump lashed out at her and her counsel, Michael Avenatti. Trump called Daniels “horseface” and Avenatti as a “third-rate lawyer.” Daniels responded by calling him “Tiny” and a man with a penchant for “bestiality.” Once again, why? Trump is President of the United States calling a porn star a adolescent schoolyard name and triggering a name calling contest on social media. Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republicans have again criticized the President for such language.