A bankruptcy case in Minneapolis has produced some unexpected fireworks after U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Nancy Dreher ordered the arrest of an attorney who filed a bizarre litany of anti-Catholic remarks in a filing. Dreher ordered the arrest of lawyer Naomi Isaacson (left), who is president of a group known as the Dr. R.C. Samanta Roy Institute of Science and Technology Inc.
Continue reading “Court Orders Arrest of Lawyer After Judge Called “Catholic Knight Witch Hunter” in Bizarre Filings”
Category: Society
We previously discussed the unease of civil libertarians over Rick Santorum, particularly his privacy positions. His appeal to evangelical and faith-based voters was evident in a remarkable appearance in Sioux Center, Iowa. Santorum has a tense exchange over his position on same-sex marriage and health care — making the factual representation that no one has ever died from lack of health care protection and same-sex marriage would have horrific consequences for the nation.
Continue reading “Santorum Instructs Students On Same-Sex Marriage and Health Care”
Last night the editors of the ABA Journal informed us that we have voted the top opinion blog of 2011 in the ABA Journal competition. It is our second such top award in the annual competition and it is an honor shared equally by all of our contributors and readers.
Continue reading “TURLEY BLOG PICKED AS TOP OPINION LEGAL BLOG IN 2011”
The close second place victory of Rick Santorum in Iowa has elevated the latest choice of Republican for the anti-Romney candidate. Civil libertarians, of course, are well acquainted with Santorum who lost his Pennsylvania seat due to his extremist views. Santorum has outdone his opponents in appealing to evangelical voters by not just virtually promising to go to war upon being elected but is opposed to the Griswold decision.
Continue reading “Rick Santorum: Will Anti-Romney Voters Embrace Anti-Privacy Values?”
This video shows why officers often try to keep people at a distance during arrests. This man calmly walks up and attacks an officer who is trying to arrest another man.
Continue reading “Video: Man Attacks Baltimore Officer During Arrest Of Another Man”
Who needs eharmony? Evangelina Paredes found a match in a handwritten note on her windshield. It was from Stickney police officer Chris Collins who used the information that he recorded on a $132 speeding ticket to track her down and ask her out. Collins pointed out “I did cost you $132 — least I can do is buy you dinner.” It is a police version of the slogan “fall in love for the right reasons.”
Continue reading “efelony: Illinois Police Officer Uses Ticket To Ask Woman On Date”
We previously discussed how the Saudi government has ordered that men can no longer work in women’s lingerie or cosmetic departments or stores. Such work is viewed as an insult to Islam and, on Thursday, the infamous Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (Haia) will be sweeping through stores looking for any male workers. The religious police also recently announced that they will be cracking down on women with “sexy eyes.” So covering up in a burka is not enough if you have Bette Davis eyes. Sheikh Motlab al Nabet, spokesman of Saudi Arabia’s religious police, declared that “[t]he men of the committee will interfere to force women to cover their eyes, especially the tempting ones.”
Continue reading “Saudi Morality Police Set To Crackdown On Lingerie Stores and Bette Davis Eyes”
The ultra-secret world of the Church of Scientology has been rocked by a rare internal dissent — gone public by an even more rare decision to leak internal communications to the media. The dispute focuses on an email by long-standing Scientologist Debbie Cook calling on 12,000 fellow members to withhold contributions to the church as violative of the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard.
Continue reading “Scientology Embroiled In Internal Dispute Over The Amassing of Wealth Under Miscavige”
Just when you thought litigation could not get more gruesome after the Illinois flying body part case. I just came across articles in this 2009 case where the lawyers for Pepsi came up with a novel defense against a product liability claim of an Illinois man who alleged that he found a dead mouse in his Mountain Dew. Impossible, they insist, because our product would have dissolved any mouse in a can. It is the type of legal argument that wins a case and loses a market. It certainly was consistent with the original slogan of the company: “It’ll Tickle Yore Innards!”
Continue reading ““It’ll Tickle Your Innards”: Mountain Dew’s Mouse Dissolving Defense”
While this is unlikely to surprise many civil libertarians, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has issued its annual report card called “Liberty Watch 2012” and gave President Obama a failing report (earning the full four “torches” only on the issue of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy). The Republican candidates were equally dismal but it is rare for the Democratic candidate to be on par or lower than his GOP counterparts on civil liberties. Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson secured the top civil liberties spot while Republican Ron Paul came in second ahead of Obama.
Continue reading “Obama Given Low Marks In Annual ACLU Report For Civil Liberties — Ranked Lower Than Paul”
President Barack Obama rang in the New Year by signing the NDAA law with its provision allowing him to indefinitely detain citizens. It was a symbolic moment to say the least. With Americans distracted with drinking and celebrating, Obama signed one of the greatest rollbacks of civil liberties in the history of our country . . . and citizens partied only blissfully into the New Year.
Continue reading “Final Curtain: Obama Signs Indefinite Detention of Citizens Into Law As Final Act of 2011”
India is facing yet another case of human sacrifice. Lalita Tati, 7, became the latest victim of tribal sacrifice — murdered in order to offer up her liver to the gods to improve crop growth.
Continue reading “Human Sacrifice in India Claims Seven-Year-Old Victim”
I just saw this video of a man painting on water that is so amazing that I had to share it.
Continue reading “Cézanne Was A Wimp . . . This Is True Water Colors”
Today the kids and I will formally withdraw the colors — taking down our large Bears banner in front of the house to mark the end of the season for our team. My only concern is that the performance of the Bears lends credence to the Mayan prediction of the end of the world in 2012. As God’s team, it is only natural that the apocalypse would begin with this catastrophic season for the Bears — and countervailing success of the Packers. For Bears fans, we will now welcome the End of Times . . . if it will only happen before the Packers win a second Superbowl.
Submitted by Gene Howington, Guest Blogger
Augusta State University (ASU) of Georgia was taken to court by a clinical psychology student, Jennifer Keeton, who refused to do coursework necessary for completing her degree. The coursework in question dealt with LGBTQ population. “In her brief, Keeton describes herself as a Christian who is committed to the truth of the Bible, including what she believes are its teachings on human nature, the purpose and meaning of life, and the ethical standards that govern human conduct. She holds several beliefs about homosexuality that she views as arising from her Christian faith. She believes that ‘sexual behavior is the result of personal choice for which individuals are accountable, not inevitable deterministic forces; that gender is fixed and binary (i.e., male or female), not a social construct or personal choice subject to individual change; and that homosexuality is a ‘lifestyle,’ not a ‘state of being.’” ASU’s officials became aware that Keeton held these beliefs when she expressed to professors in class and fellow classmates in and out of class that she believed that the GLBTQ population suffers from identity confusion, and that she intended to attempt to convert students from being homosexual to heterosexual. Keeton also said that it would be difficult for her to work with GLBTQ clients and to separate her views about homosexuality from her clients’ views. Further, in answering a hypothetical posed by a faculty member, Keeton responded that as a high school counselor confronted by a sophomore student in crisis, questioning his sexual orientation, she would tell the student that it was not okay to be gay. Similarly, Keeton told a fellow classmate that, if a client discloses that he is gay, it was her intention to tell the client that his behavior is morally wrong and then try to change the client’s behavior, and if she were unable to help the client change his behavior, she would refer him to someone practicing conversion therapy.” Keeton v. Anderson-Wiley, 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 10-13925, D.C. Docket No. 1:10-cv-00099-JRH-WLB (Dec. 16, 2011)
This raises some interesting questions concerning free speech, free exercise and educational and professional accreditation.
Continue reading “Science and Education Win . . . in Georgia”