Animals, Bizarre, Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Media

Thai Mechanic Faces 37 Years For “Liking” Spoof Photo Of King’s Dog

220px-Rama_IX_of_Thailand_and_Barack_Obama,_2012_croppedOur close Asian ally, Thailand, continues to crush both free speech and political dissent under its draconian criminal code. Mechanic Thanakorn Siripaiboon, 27, is facing a potential of 37 years for allegedly insult King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 88, by “liking” a humorous photoshopped photo of the King’s dog and passing it along to his over 600 “friends.” That’s all it take in Thailand to face 37 years in jail . . . insulting the King’s dog. It is all part of what is called lèse-majesté governing royal insults but this is the first known extension of the law to royal pets.

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

WHAT OBAMA TAUGHT TRUMP

495px-Donald_Trump_by_Gage_SkidmoreBelow is my Sunday column in the Washington Post on Donald Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims from entry into the United States. Trump’s rhetoric has shocked many in his promises to unilaterally force sweeping changes regardless of Congress. Yet, Trump’s criticism of Congress and pledge to go it alone should be vaguely familiar for many. Both Obama and Trump advocate to use unilateral powers to change the immigration laws as a rejection of a “do nothing” Congress. Faced with opposition in Congress, President Obama insisted that he would order many of the very changes rejected by the legislative branch. Despite my agreement with President Obama on many of his policies, it is a dangerous and destabilizing legacy or a system based on the separation of powers. While these men may differ on their policy choices, the powers are the same. President Obama has been asserting many the powers referenced by Trump despite constitutional objections and losses in court like the Canning decision. For this reason, the objections from Obama supporters may ring a bit hollow for Trump supporters. While Trump may have coined “You’re fired” as an entertainment tag line, it was President Obama who fashioned it into a political doctrine in his rejection of Congress. This has been a role that Trump has spent years cultivating on reality shows. It is reality TV meets realpolitick. Below is the column.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Society, Uncategorized

“We Made A Mistake”: Georgia Police Reportedly Enter Wrong Home In Response To 911 Call, Kill Family Dog, Shoot An Unarmed Father, and Then Shoot One of Their Own Officers

Yanna2imgresDekalb police are admitting this week that “we made a mistake” but that does not seem to capture full extent of the blunder perpetrated by three officers who mistakenly entered the home of Chris and Leah McKinley in response to a 911 call. Not only did the officers enter the wrong home, but they proceeded to shoot the family dog, then shoot the unarmed father, and then shoot one of their own officers.

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Bizarre, Politics, Society

Trump Critics Unleash Vulgar and Violent Rhetoric Over Immigration Debate

Screen Shot 2015-12-12 at 10.24.53 AMDonald Trump’s recent proposal to ban Muslims from entry in the country and his policies on illegal immigration has caused a heated debate. As we recently discussed, some have taken this debate to a personal and vulgar level, including the involvement in children in disgraceful videotapes. Now El Diablito, a food cart company in Portland, Oregon has followed suit with its own disgraceful display of children screaming to “kill” Trump and flashing vulgar signs. It is beyond me how parents would expose or encourage such things with children. However, they are not alone in such shocking conduct. Loring Wirbel, co-chairman of the Colorado Springs, Colo., chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has resigned after saying that Trump supporters should be shot.

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International, Society

Gambia Declared Islamic Republic By President

By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor

President Yahya Jammeh
President Yahya Jammeh

President Yahya Jammeh, who has for twenty-one years served as Gambia’s president, declared his nation an Islamic republic claiming this action would serve to break from the nations “colonial past.”

Though Gambia’s population is ninety percent Muslim and this would be in many ways seem an alignment with the culture of its people, the nation nevertheless has a very poor reputation for human rights, especially in its treatment of its homosexual citizens.

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Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Media, Military, Religion, Society

Chinese Censor Assures World That There Is No Censorship In China

Lu_Wei_2015Senior Chinese official Lu Wei has made news this week by assuring the world that there is no censorship in China. He should know, Lu is the chief censor in China. If you cannot believe a government censor, who can you believe?

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Criminal law, Politics, Society

Come for the Pot, Stay For the Powder? Colorado Finds Roughly Half of Tourists Visit Due To Legal Marijuana

Marijuana LeafWe have been following the expanding market pressures in favor of legalization of marijuana in the United States. Now a new study seems to support those who have argued that legalization is a powerful economic lift for the Colorado economy. It appears that the powder on the slopes is less of a draw than the pot for tourists.

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Religion, Society

Pizza Driver Finds Life Changing Message In Delivery To Ohio Church

pizzatip1I wanted to show you the YouTube video below as something that might renew your faith in humanity despite those who seem to be fighting to destroy every aspect of humanity in our lives. Jeff Louis, 22, is a man who has struggled to stay clean after an addiction history and is working as a delivery driver for Gionino’s Pizza in Ohio. That is a rough road to walk, but something happened on a recent delivery that I wanted to share with you.

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Bizarre, Society

New Jersey Gasoline Station Triggers Controversy Over Inflated Prices

New-Jersey-gas-station-keeps-price-at-398-despite-179-price-across-the-streetThere is a curious story out of Voorhies, New Jersey that touches on a past subject of how gas stations set their prices. The Lukoil station in the town is charging $3.98 per gallon while other area stations, including one directly across the street, price gas at $1.79. What is interesting is that even Lukoil says that it is trying to strip owner Tony Caprio of his franchise over his gouging of customers.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Religion

Police Arrest California Man Who Allegedly Bought The Guns Used in The San Bernardino Massacre

We have another unnerving case of a recent convert to Islam allegedly turning quickly to involvement in terrorism. Enrique Marquez, 24, legally purchased the AR-15 rifles that his neighbor San Bernardino gunman Syed Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik used to kill 14 people and injure 21 others. Police say that former security guard Marquez had recently converted to Islam and was part of the planning for the attack but got cold feet after the arrests in a nearby town of terrorism suspects in an unrelated case. He will initially face gun charges since he transferred the weapons to the couple after serving as the purchaser.

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Academia, Bizarre

Protesters at Small Pennsylvania College Call For Change In Name Of Lynch Memorial Hall As Racially Insensitive

lynch200px-Lebanon_Valley_College_logoWe recently saw the decision at Harvard (followed by Yale) to drop the historic title of “Master” for the heads of the residential houses due to racial connotations, even though there is no racist connection with the term which originated in England. At the time, I expressed concern over the lack of a clear understanding of when historical terms must be curtailed or eliminated due to misunderstandings of their meaning or origins. Now, students at Lebanon Valley College are calling for the name of “Lynch Memorial Hall” to be changed due to the racial overtones of the word “lynch.” However, “Lynch” is clearly not being used as a verb (which would hardly make such to “lynch Memorial Hall” unless there was a person named Memorial Hall. Rather, it is a well-known reference to Clyde A. Lynch who was president of Lebanon Valley College from 1932 until his death in 1950. This would seem a case where the school motto is instructive in rising above the anger through knowledge: Libertas per Veritatem (The truth shall set you free).

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Bizarre, Society

Airplane Manufacturer Moves To Patent New Design For Transporting People In Former Windowless, Luggage Spaces

zodiac-cabin-overv_3521947bThrough the years, I have written stories criticizing the airline industry for its nosedive in customer services and accommodations. (here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here). We have often remarked that new designs reducing space, adding “bench seating,” and adding more rows on planes are part of a trend that seems to be pushing passengers to the status of luggage. Indeed, I have often noted that first class is what coach used to be and coach is what the luggage storage used to me. Now it appears to be actually coming true. Zodiac Aerospace, the French aircraft equipment manufacturer, has filed a patent to convert windowless luggage areas into new budget seating. This Harry Potter space will be equipped with cameras showing you what you would see if you were not in a crawl space and had a window.

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Academia, Free Speech, Media, Society

Colorado College Suspends Student and Bars Entry For Two Years For An Anonymous Joke on Yik Yak

200px-Colorado_College_sealWe have another controversy over the regulation of speech on college campuses this week. Thaddeus Pryor has been suspended and banned from Colorado College for two years after he sent an anonymous reply on social media that was meant as a joke. Regardless of the fact that the joke was insulting and decidedly unfunny, it was an anonymous comment made by a student on the social media site Yik Yak without the use of university equipment or involvement. As such, it raises serious free speech implications in my view.

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

City Orders Removal of Ohio Man’s Zombie Nativity Scene

12341215_511490252345357_7300967077313244812_nTis the season for holiday display litigation. In Sycamore, Ohio, Jasen Dixon has been cited for putting up a Nativity scene in the front of his house. Dixon’s vision however has a zombie baby that many find offensive. The citation raises serious first amendment questions in the application of a code provision barring “accessory structures” in a front yard. That seems a vague concept and one that is prone to arbitrary or capricious applications. The question is whether other, more conventional holiday displays have been allowed.

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