More news you won't use:
Item
Attorney General Alberto "I never read a Constitutional Amendment I couldn't violate" Gonzales is standing squarely in the cross hairs of the recent controversy surrounding the firing of eight US Attorneys in 2006. The original game plan back in 2005 from the "take no prisioners" crowd at the White House, was to fire all 93 US Attorneys. The author of this scorched earth approach to law enforcement was none other than Harriet Meirs, then White House Counsel. You may remember Ms. Meirs as the legal giant that Mr. Bush nominated to sit on the highest court in the land. (Actually, George's first choice was Chatsworth "Skip" Osbourne, the President's father's caddy at Kennebunkport Country Club. Sadly Skippy was busy finishing his sophomore year of high school.)
The word out of the AG's office is that the firings were just part of a housecleaning and based on "poor performance". The lawyers in question were apparently particularly poor at listening to Republican Senators and Congressmen who called to offer advise regarding whom to prosecute and whom to cut some slack.
Anyway, fear not, America. Considering Mr. Gonzales' stellar record on civil rights and civil liberties he should have no trouble landing a job at either the Karl Rove Ministry of Fear or as the Attorney General for the Peoples Republic of China.
___________________________________________________________________
Item
Ted Haggard is still straight after six weeks. Praise the lord and pass the methamphetamine.
___________________________________________________________________
Item
Speaking of Constitutional Amendments, the Supreme Court has chosen to hear the case of Morse v. Frederik. In case you haven't been following this most recent assault on the First Amendment, the facts are as follows:
Joseph Frederik, low level delinquent at the Juneau-Douglas High School in Juneau, Alaska was determined to make a statement (for what, he has no idea). Frederik had the idea of holding up a sign that said "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" as the Olympic torch passed his high school in 2002. The school principal, Deborah Morse, horrified that the Juneau school system would be seen on TV in such a disrespectful light, confiscated young Joe's sign. Mr. Frederik sued Ms. Morse for violating his right to free speech. The school board supported Ms. Morse and the game was on.
OK, I know that Joseph Frederik is an obnoxious snot and Alaska might be the best place for him. Still, this case is what we call in America "settled law". In Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, the Court ruled 7-2 that "It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights of freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse door." (See how much you can learn here at isitjustme).
However, Tinker was written in 1969 when the Court included William O. Douglas and Thurgood Marshall. One can only imagine what will happen when Clarence Thomas and Anton Scalia (the frik-n- frak of jurisprudence) get involved.
Naturally, the Bush Justice Department and all the school boards in America are solidly in favor of silencing any form of free speech. If they had their way, students would all wear ties and skirts (preferably not together) and sit all day with their hands folded. Teachers would rule absolutely and corporal punishment would be the order of the day. The anti-free speech forces have solicited the aid of none other than Ken Starr, the Johnnie Cochrane of the militant right.
Ken didn't have much luck chasing the Clintons but he hopes to do better this time. As always, the ACLU is in the opposing corner. Just the sight of an ACLU lawyer makes Justice Scalia run to the nearest Catholic Church and request an exorcism.
This one promises to be a real nail-bitter boys and girls, because no one knows how the newest Court members, Roberts and Alito, will swing. Should the forces of evil prevail and students are forbidden to express themselves, the fans at Duke basketball games, famous for their ribald banter, will be in jail faster than you can say, "original intent".
No comments:
Post a Comment