Category: Society

Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Religion, Society

Indonesian Court Unanimously Convicts Christian Governor of Jakarta Of Blasphemy

We have previously discussed how some of our closest allies like Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Egypt routinely deny both free speech and free exercise of religion to citizens through the application of Sharia law or Islamic moral codes.  The latest outrage comes from Indonesia where a court convicted Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, the Christian governor of the country’s capital, Jakarta, of blasphemy for challenging Islamic extremists.  He was sentenced to two years in prison in a disgraceful assault on basic civil liberties and principles of both religious tolerance and free speech.

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Congress, Courts, Media, Politics, Society

James Comey and Posthumous Acclaim In Art and Politics

With the firing of FBI Director James Comey, politics seems to be following art in one important fashion: your work becomes more popular after you’re dead. Jim Croce was barely known as a singer until his plane crashed and burned. Van Gogh sold only one picture in his lifetime . . . until he shot himself. Comey’s work appears to be on the same track of retrospective popularity. He is now the rage. Democratic Senators and liberal commentators who only recently denounced him as a political hack and manipulator were suddenly speaking of Comey as the second Publicus. More importantly, news outlets like CNN went into a virtual echo chamber with their experts, like Jeff Toobin, declaring that the President was lying and that there was no other explanation for firing Comey other than that fact that the Russian investigation was “getting too close” to Trump. One CNN guest historian, Douglas Brinkley,  even declared, from a purely historical perspective of course, that the firing shows that Trump acts like a “tyrant.”

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Columns, Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Politics, Society

The Supreme Salient: Decades Of Static Ideological Lines On The Court Could Vaporize With A Kennedy Replacement

Below is my column in the Hill Newspaper on the implications of a rumored retirement by Justice Anthony Kennedy.  If nothing else, it allowed me to discuss the anniversary of the Ypres Salient explosion in World War I — the mining of the German line with massive bombs.  While we often discuss how a nominee could change the Court on issues like Roe v. Wade, the replacement of either Kennedy or Ruth Bader Ginsburg would potentially collapse the long static lines on the Court.  Like trench warfare, the 4-4 split on the Court has moved little in areas like abortion. It could now evaporate in the flash of a confirmation (assuming that Chief Justice John Roberts does not step into the role of swing vote on the Court).

Here is the column:

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Bizarre, Politics, Religion, Society

“I Wish They Didn’t Let You In The Country”: Video Shows Woman Allegedly Abusing Muslim In Store Line

There is a disturbing video just posted on an encounter of a Muslim woman with another woman at the Trader Joe’s in Reston, Virginia — not far from my home.  On the video below, the rude woman allegedly tells the Muslim “I wish they didn’t let you in the country” during their encounter on Saturday.  The Muslim woman is a friend of comedian Jeremy McLellan and he shared the videotape.  He said that his friend was wearing a hijab identifying her as a Muslim.  Since the woman is clearly shown, the question is whether the woman has a case if she is falsely depicted.  Conversely, we have previously discussed whether people should be disciplined by employers for conduct or statements in their private lives.

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Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Free Speech, Politics, Society

Calling Out Foul Fans: It Is Time For An Unsportsmanlike Conduct Rule For Fans

The Red Sox management is moving aggressively in the wake of the allegation by Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones of racist taunts at Fenway Park , including the banning for life of a fan who made a racist comment to another fan during a recent game.  Boston police are also looking into any possible criminal conduct, including the throwing of peanuts at Jones and others.  Below is my column in The Hill Newspaper on the proposal for a new federal crime for prosecuting racist fans.  Putting aside the serious constitutional issues, it is entirely unnecessary. The problem with both rowdy and racist fans is the inaction of ballparks, not the insufficiency of criminal laws.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Religion, Society

Tennessee Police Shut Down Scientology Facilities After Reportedly Finding People Held Against Their Will

488px-scientology_symbolsvgThe Church of Scientology is facing renewed allegations of abusive and cult-like conditions of followers.  A string of psychiatric facilities run by the Church of Scientology in Cannon County, Tenn. have been closed after police reportedly found that patients there were being held against their will in crude trailers and cabins in the woods.  Former Scientologists have accused the Church of holding people against their will and adopting bizarre remedies for mental illnesses due to their founder’s opposition to psychiatry.  Marc Vallieres, the operator of the facilities, was charged with two felony counts of facilitation of kidnapping and two other men working at the facility pled guilty to misdemeanors.

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Bizarre, Society

Cattle Car Carriers: American Airlines To Slash Legroom For Passengers

250px-american_airlines_logosvg600px-Unloading_a_stock_car_revAmerican Airlines  has decided to dispense with any semblance of being a quality airline and will slash another two inches from economy class seats despite rising complaints of the already painfully cramped conditions.  The airline is effectively boasting to investors that it will stuff more seats on its planes while charging passengers in economy to buy the necessary leg room to be remotely comfortable.  United is also planning to join the cattle call and reduce legroom, though it might make dragging passengers from planes a bit more difficult.  The reduction at American will put it close to the infamous Spirit Airline in terms of cramped, uncomfortable conditions.

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Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Free Speech, International, Politics, Religion, Society, Uncategorized

Indian Muslim Village Bans Women Using Cell Phones In Public

Muslim elders in an Indian village have banned women from using mobile phones in public because they might use the phones to speak with men.  Any woman found using a cell phone faces a fine of $325, a huge amount for most villagers.

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Politics, Society

The Clinton Factor: New York Times Study Suggests That It Was Not Voter Turnout That Determined Election

Hillary_Clinton_Testimony_to_House_Select_Committee_on_BenghaziHillary Clinton has been speaking publicly about her electoral defeat and offering a long list of reasons for the loss except one: Hillary Clinton herself.  A new study by the New York Times however concludes that there was not a failure of Democratic turnout, as often suggested by Clinton supporters spinning the election.  Rather, voters simply rejected Clinton herself.  While Clinton has offered the perfunctory statement that she takes responsibility for the loss, she has been blaming everyone else except herself from the Russians to the FBI Director to self-hating women.  Yesterday, she sat through an interview with Christaine Amanpour at the Women for Women event in New York and proclaimed that, if it weren’t for FBI Director James Comey’s letter to Congress, and “[i]f the election had been on October 27, I would be your president.” Update: President Donald Trump has fired back at Clinton saying that he simply ran a great campaign.  That assertion is equally debatable since Trump remained equally unpopular with most voters who simply felt that they had no choice (again) offered by the two parties.  As discussed below, I think that the election turned on the manifest demand of the voters for someone outside of the establishment.

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Columns, Courts, Media, Politics, Society

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do: The Timing and Rationales For Splitting The Ninth Circuit Are Dubious

ninth-circuit-logoBreaking-up-is-hard-to-do-neil-sedakaThe call by President Donald Trump to break up the United States Court of Appeals for the  Ninth Circuit have been echoed by members of Congress, including most recently Sen. Ted Cruz (R., TX).  Below is my column in The Hill Newspaper on the controversy.

 

 

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Bizarre, Society

Trump: Civil War Could Have Been Avoided By Big Hearted Andrew Jackson

President Donald Trump made a rather curious statement on Monday about the Civil War that had people either confused or enraged.  In an interview with the Washington Examiner’s Salena Zico, Trump said that the Civil War was avoidable and could have been prevent if President Andrew Jackson had lived a bit longer.  He insisted “There’s no reason for this.”  Many people have noted that there were millions of reasons in the form of enslaved blacks and Jackson was hardly the man to call when the question of slavery was raised.

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Columns, Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Politics, Society

Preliminary or Premature? Injunction Against Trump Sanctuary Order May Come Down To A Question Of Timing

Judge_William_H._Orrick,_IIIdonald_trump_president-elect_portrait_croppedIn a week, the first appellate hearing will occur in the review of the second Trump immigration order. In the meantime, the Administration is appealing the latest legal setback with the injunction of Trump’s sanctuary city order.  Below is my column from the Hill Newspaper on the decision of District Court Judge William Orrick.  

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Bizarre, Politics, Society, Uncategorized

Goodell Declares Pot Use To Be Unhealthy And Pledges Continued Ban

\As we have discussed, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is the least popular commissioner in the history of the NFL . . . for good reason.  Of course, the mere fact that fans boo Goodell where ever he appears from the NFL draft to a funeral, the owners do not care because they relish the very things that Goodell stands for like putting profits over any concern for the health of players or the interests of fans.  Goodell has been widely denounced for his alleged covering up of the dangers of concussions until there was no way to avoid addressing the serious medical problem facing players.  He is also responsible for contracts that routinely ripped off fans like his recurring contracts with DishTV that requires fans to hand over their cable contracts at ridiculous prices if they want to watch their teams play (a contract denounced by consumer advocates).  Then he was widely criticized for his own obscene salary, shaking down artists, and corrupt contracts and demands from cities who might want to host the Superbowl. In other words, he is the last person on this planet (with the possible exception of Kim Jong-un) who should be holding forth on healthy living tips.  Nevertheless, Goodell declared this week that, even in states where marijuana use is legal, he will continue to ban it because it is not a healthy choice for players.  He said that he is willing to study the possible medical benefits of pot.

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Academia, Free Speech, Society, Uncategorized

TRIGGER WARNING: THIS ARTICLE ON CRUCIFIXION MAY REFERENCE CRUCIFIXION

Marco_palmezzano,_crocifissione_degli_UffiziThe new catchword on campuses is “triggering.”  Universities now warn students about any possible “trigger” that might upset them in curriculum or even faculty lectures.  Monash University now issues triggering warnings for courses like Surgeon General warnings on a pack of cigarettes.   At the University of Glasgow, theology students are being warned in advance that, in courses dealing with Christ, they may see distressing images of crucifixion.

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Constitutional Law, Free Speech, Media, Politics, Religion, Society, Uncategorized

Le Pen Advisor Convicted Of Hate Speech For Complaining About Rise In Muslim School Children

Freedom_of_SpeechWe have been discussing (and lamenting) the rollback of free speech in France where writers and speakers are now routinely prosecuted for what would be protected political or religious speech in the United States.  The latest case involves Robert Menard, mayor of Beziers and a top adviser to Marine Le Pen, who has been found guilty of inciting hatred against Muslims.

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