Academia, Bizarre, Criminal law

University of California at Irvine Students Push For Ban On UC Police From Campus

xsouhlraThe University of California, Irvine Black Student Union is demanding a ban on the UC Irvine Police Department. The protest featured protesters with signs reading “Blue Lives Don’t Matter” and “F–k the Police.” It was an interesting protest after a professor at the University of Virginia was forced into a leave of absence after calling Black Lives Matter as racist organization akin to the KKK. In this case, however, equally caustic remarks against the police were not viewed as matters for discipline. I have favored free speech protections in all of these circumstances. My concern is that there is a double standard being applied based on the content of such speech.

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Constitutional Law, Courts, Justice, Media, Politics

“My Own Words”: Ginsburg Holds Forth On Trump, Kaepernick and Other Subjects In Latest Public Commentary

225px-ruth_bader_ginsburg_scotus_photo_portraitI have long been a critic of the Supreme Court justices engaging in public appearances where they hold forth on contemporary issues and even pending matters before the Court. I have been particularly critical of the late Justice Antonin Scalia and Associated Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who clearly relished appearances before ideologically supportive groups. I have called this trend the “rise of the celebrity justice.” Recently, Justice Ginsburg started another firestorm over public comments where she joked that she would move to New Zealand if Donald Trump is elected. Ginsburg apologized for that latest public controversy, though I discussed in a column how the incident spoke to a much larger problem on the Court. While she express “regret” in that instance, it did not deter Ginsburg in continuing to speak publicly and hold forth on contemporary issues, though she did make a curious distinction on this occasion.

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Academia, Bizarre, Free Speech, Society

University Of Virginia Professor Takes Leave Of Absence For Criticizing Black Lives Matter As A “Racist” Organization Akin To The KKK

3943f6d800000578-3830775-image-m-3_1476103658138We have been discussing the concerns over free speech on our campuses, including the question of equal treatment given social postings by faculty in their private time. Douglas Muir, an adjunct professor at the University of Virginia’s Engineering School, has become the focus of these concerns after he took a leave of absence after he was criticized for calling Black Lives Matter as the biggest racist organization since the Ku Klux Klan. It was clearly an inflammatory statement and understandably viewed by many as insulting and ill-informed. However, there remain free speech concerns over when such statements have resulted in disciplinary actions for academics.

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Bizarre, Courts, Criminal law

Illinois Court: $20 Million Wrongful-Conviction Settlement Is Part Of Marital Property In Divorce

melissa-sanders-rivera-and-juan-rivera-after-his-release_facebook_photoThere is an interesting ruling out of Illinois this week. Juan Rivera served 20 years for a 1992 murder that he did not commit. While in prison, he married Melissa Sanders-Rivera. The marriage in 2000 lasted 14 years. However, he divorced his wife in 2014 — two years after his release. After his award of $20 million for his long incarceration, Melissa Sanders-Rivera moved to get her share of the money as his former spouse. The Illinois Court of Appeals ruled that the wife could claim award as marital property.

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Bizarre, Military, Politics, Society

Duterte Denounces The U.S. And Pledges To End Cooperation and Reliance . . . U.S. Responds With $180 Million In Aid

rodrigo_duterte_and_laotian_president_bounnhang_vorachith_croppedThe election of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte constitutes the lowest point for the struggling Filipino democratic system.  Duterte has used profanities against President Obama, the United States Ambassador to the Philippines, Pope Frances, the United Nations and others who have questioned his blood-soaked reign as president.  Recently, he even compared himself to Hitler in not only refusing to stop his extrajudicial killings of alleged criminals but saying that he was prepared like Hitler to murder millions.  This budding tyrant has declared that the very  concept of human rights is the “anti-thesis of government.” Finally, Duterte has pledged to end military training exercises with the United States, break away from the close alliance with the United States, and rely more on China and Russia. He has even been taunting the CIA to try to oust him. For those already familiar with our checkered history of supporting dictators and even enemies of the United States, it will come as no surprise that (just as Duterte is pledging to support Russia and China and fighting the United States), our government just approved another $180 million in aid to someone widely viewed as blood-soaked, anti-American lunatic.

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International, Media, Politics, Society

Venezuela Awards First Hugo Chavez Peace Prize To Vladimir Putin

200px-Hugo_Chavez_in_Brazil-1861225px-Vladimir_Putin_official_portraitVenezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has held on to power as he and his predecessor Hugo Chavez ruined the strongest economy in Latin America with their “Socialist Revolution.”  They combined disastrous economic policy with a crackdown on civil liberties, including unrelenting attacks on journalists and political dissidents.  With the vast majority of the nation calling for his resignation and new elections, Maduro and his cronies in government have delayed any elections while allowing the country to descend further into economic and social chaos.  However, it is not like he is doing nothing.  He has created a new award:  the Hugo Chavez Peace Prize.  The first winner?  The paragon of peace . . .   Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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Bizarre, Criminal law

Putting Public Safety First: Police Officer Claims Strange Defense After Arrest For Public Exposure

imagesBethlehem patrolman Glenn C. Woolard, 35, raised a curious defense recently after he was pulled over after a spotted him fondling himself while driving and “waiving it around.”  After being caught literally with his pants down, Woolard did not deny the actions but rather insisted that he was doing it as a responsible driver to stay awake.  Most of us just pull over to a Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts, but Woolard apparently requires something more carnal than caffeinated.

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Courts, Criminal law, International, Justice, Politics, Society

German Government Set To Pay Compensation To Gays Convicted Of Violating Anti-homosexuality Laws

By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor.

gay-pride-flagA long-overdue measure to compensate persons convicted of violating Germany’s 19th century anti-homosexuality law–since repealed–is to finally arrive. The German government set aside a reported thirty-million euros to be distributed among potentially an estimated fifty-thousand men convicted of homosexuality. The award stems for convictions spanning seventy years since the destruction of the Nazi Government.
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Criminal law, Society

In Memoriam: Sergeant Steve Owen, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office

By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor.

Steve Owen
Steve Owen

Another Law Enforcement Officer suffered a senseless death at the hands of a career criminal. This time, as is usually the case, a caring, officer who established himself within his community and by simply doing his job, died far too early.

Sergeant Steve Owen, who worked for the Los Angeles County Sheriff for twenty-nine years, was ambushed and assassinated after responding to a burglary complaint.

His fellow community members shared much grief over the loss of a well liked deputy who served many and fostered remarkable attention to those in need–above expectations and for the benefit of many.
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Free Speech, International, Media, Politics, Society

SpongeBob SquarePants Posed Existential Threat To Turkey

By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor.

A nefarious, existential threat was recently vanquished by the post-coup censorship offices of Turkish President Erdoğan. No, it was not the PKK, nor ISIS, nor Fethullah Gülen. It was SpongeBob SquarePants and Smurfette, broadcast on a Kurdish Language children’s television network.

The media crackdown in the aftermath of the failed coup in Turkey has led to closures of dozens of news services and thousands of firings among journalists. Cartoon networks can now become labeled as seditious.

Apparently, SpongeBob’s cohort Squidward Tentacles nefariously slithered into the fabric of the state’s security apparatus and cunningly attempted to dismantle it from within. His ink: it sows discord by fueling the printing presses of subversives.
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Society

CUBS WIN FIRST PLAYOFF GAME AGAINST THE GIANTS

thumb chc_1200x630For the first time in decades, the Cubs won a playoff game without giving up a run.  The San Francisco Giants and the Chicago Cubs showed incredible pitching tonight and this is going to be a hard fought series.  Indeed, I was hoping that my Cubs would face the Mets.  (I am equally concerned about facing the Los Angeles Dodgers down the road).  However, for all Chicagoans, it was a sweet start to the series.

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Justice

American Airlines Is Dead To Me

by Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor.

250px-American_Airlines_logo.svgThere are times when you have to cut ties to a vendor when the arrangement no longer is suitable. Then, there are other times when the insolence and lack of respect is so great that if the internet was not available to vent such consternation we probably would boil over in frustration.

American Airlines won the latter approach by leaving my wife stranded–alone in an airport–lied about there being no accommodations to carry her through the night, and refused any form of compensation for their failure to schedule crew members for the flight, leading to this debacle.

Since it was not in American Airline’s interest to offer a hotel room or at least courtesy voucher for another flight here’s some negative publicity as a parting gift to you.

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