“Religious Freedom” Laws

Away For Two Weeks, And The World Changes, Not For The Better! :(

Having just returned from my vacation with my older son after watching nine baseball games at eight baseball stadiums from Washington DC to Chicago, it is clear while I have been away that the nation and the world have changed, and not for the better.

Russia under Vladimir Putin is in turmoil after a challenge to the government by a militia group, creating more international instability. And demonstrations in France have gone large after the killing of an Algerian Arab French citizen by police, making clear that racism is alive and well in not just the United States but world wide!

And then, domestically, the Supreme Court has shown once again just how extreme they are, and presenting a constitutional crisis, as the Bush I and II appointees, along with the Trump appointees, have declared war on precedent and progress, trying to bring America back to the 18th century “originalism”, which many scholars make clear is totally preposterous!

The majority Court Justices have been shown to have massive financial and ideological conflicts of interest with no means for accountability, and with Chief Justice John Roberts losing all of whatever reasonable reputation he has had over the years, with his refusal to testify on ethics violations by himself and the other Republican Justices, particularly, but not only, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.

Between the attack on abortion rights a year ago, and now the end of affirmative action; the denial of student college debt relief; and allowing religion to interfere with the basic human rights of gays and transgenders, and arguably, other groups that any person in any business or industry could decide to refuse to interact with in daily life, is clearly the most dangerous time in constitutional history since the Civil War!

Supreme Court Most Right Wing Since 1931!

The last time the US Supreme Court was as right wing in its decisions as it has been in 2022 is 1931, 91 years ago!

The nation is in danger from a Court which is promoting anti abortion, pro gun rights, promoting expansion of religion in public places, and making it harder to address climate change!

The conservative majority is advocating “Originalism”, which threatens the entire constitutional decisions from the New Deal onward, and there is concern that the next Supreme Court term will be even more controversial and confrontational than the present one has been!

Boycott Of North Carolina And Mississippi Over Anti Gay, Anti Transgender “Religious Freedom” Law Under Way, And Totally Appropriate!

North Carolina and Mississippi have gone terribly backwards, with their recent passage and signing of anti gay and anti transgender legislation, claiming it is an issue of “religious freedom”.

Sorry, but religion does not teach prejudice, hatred, or discrimination as part of its tenets, certainly not in Christianity, or does it? If one looks at the history of the religion, there is no question that sects of the faith historically have advocated anti Semitism, racism, misogyny, and homophobia, but this is 2016, and this is unacceptable!

So it is appropriate that Bruce Springsteen cancels a concert in North Carolina; that Paypal refuse to expand in that state; and that the National Basketball Association cancel its All Star game in 2017 in North Carolina.

The same can be said about Mississippi, that all action by corporations, and including sports and entertainment, MUST be utilized to force these states to rescind these laws, or suffer, including cuts in federal aid to those states, now being considered by the US government.