The story from Zimmerman was that Trayvon gave him a broken nose, then got on top of him and pounded the back of his head against the pavement. You would think Zimmerman, being taken into the police station that night in the footage below, would be a bit more bloody: ALSO this….
What’s Being Argued Today — A Summary for Layman
At the heart of health care reform lies the individual mandate, which makes it so that individuals must purchase health insurance or else face a fine assessed by the government. The question before the Court will be whether Congress has the power under the Commerce Clause to require that individuals purchase health insurance. The Commerce Clause states that “the Congress shall have … Read More
Latest On The Trayvon Martin Killing
George Zimmerman has told police that Trayvon Martin decked him with a punch then jumped on top of the neighborhood watch volunteer and slammed his head into the sidewalk several times, the Orlando Senitnel reports, quoting unidentified police sources. This will be used to lend some sort of vindication to Zimmerman by those on the right. Except for a couple of things. One, it … Read More
Supreme Court Starts Hearing Arguments in the “Obamacare” Case
Is the Affordable Care Act consitutional? The lower courts are divided, and today the Supreme Court beings three days of oral arguments on the matter. Somewhat oddly, the most controversial part of the legislation — the individual mandate which requires everyone to purchase health insurance (or pay a fine if they don't) — is only slotted for 90 minutes of … Read More
Obama’s Pitch Perfect Comment On Trayvon Martin
He couldn't (and shouldn't) get into the details of the incident (it's under investigation), but he had to something…
The Florida Self-Defense Law Is Seriously Warped
In considering the Tryvon Martin case (where a black teenager armed with Skittles and iced tea was shot by a much bigger white guy on a "neighborhood watch", who later claimed "self-defense"), this timeline explainer from Mother Jones is indispensable if you want to understand the case and the context for these laws. It is seriously messed up. This is one example … Read More
An Anthem For Trayvon
The good news coming out today is that the case against Zimmerman is going to a Florida Grand Jury… AND that the United States Civil Rights Division is looking into the matter. I understand the anger that Zimmerman wasn't arrested on the spot, and that his preposterous story of self-defense (that he was attacked by a black kid armed … Read More
What You Need To Know About The Death Of Trayvon Martin (1995-2012)
On February 26, 2012, a 17-year-old African-American named Trayvon Martin was shot and killed in Sanford, Florida. The shooter was George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old white man. Zimmerman admits killing Martin, but claims he was acting in self-defense. Three weeks after Martin’s death, no arrests have been made and Zimmerman remains free. Here is what everyone should know about the case: … Read More
Rutgers Verdict
In late September 2010, many – myself included – were disturbed by the story coming out of Rutgers University regarding a gay freshman named Tyler Clementi who committed suicide (jumping off the George Washington bridge) after he learned his roommate, Dharun Ravi, had used a hidden webcam to secretly film Clementi engaging in homosexual behavior. I explored the case a little bit … Read More
This Cartoon Says It All
I was going to write a lengthier post on the subject, particularly as it pertains to the whole contraception/Catholicism controversy, but I'm sure I would never find the time. And indeed, this graphic makes the point pretty well. Religious freedom, as protected by the First Amendment, means that each person should be allowed to follow the dictates of their own … Read More
Great Quotes From The 9th Circuit’s “Prop 8” Opinion
I think Judge Stephen Reinhardt enjoyed himself writing this opinion, given the way he (subtly) sticks it to the Prop 8 supporters: 1. "[M]arriage is the name that society gives to the relationship that matters most between two adults. A rose by any other name may smell as sweet, but to the couple desiring to enter into a committed lifelong relationship, … Read More
The Controversy That’s Not
Culture wars again? There seems to be a LOT of misinformation about this latest so-called "controversy" involving the Obama administration and the Catholic Church and birth control. To hear some people talk about it, you would think that the Obama administration is forcing Catholic institutions to go out and purchase birth control against their will. Let's be clear: the Obama administration … Read More
Details On The Rutgers University “Gay Bullying” Case
In late September 2010, many — myself included — were disturbed by the story coming out of Rutgers University regarding a gay freshman named Tyler Clementi who committed suicide (jumping off the George Washington bridge) after he learned his roommate, Dharun Ravi, had used a hidden webcam to secretly film Clementi engaging in homosexual behavior. The New Yorker has a … Read More
Warrants Needed For GPS Monitoring
It's kind of tough translating a 200+ year old document like the Constitution to modern-day technology. Conservatives would rather we don't do it at all, sticking to the letter of the document (i.e., "if the Constitution was silent about privacy, then privacy is not protected"). But once in a while, the Supreme Court gets it right: The Supreme Court ruled … Read More
U.S. Supreme Court Refuses To Hear Forsyth County Prayer Case
Good local First Amendment news: WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a North Carolina county commission over the mostly Christian prayers offered at the beginning of its public meetings. The justices on Tuesday left in place a federal appeals court ruling that held that the predominantly Christian prayers at the start of Forsyth County commission meetings violated … Read More