Religion & Law

First Amendment ?zones? at U of Alabama

Posted on September 28, 2010
Nathan Harden writing at Phi Beta Cons: "During a recent gubernatorial debate held at the University of Alabama, students were reportedly given maps that illustrated approved 'First Amendment areas' around campus . . . I invite David French, our resident expert in constitutional law, to correct me if I?m wrong here, but I simply can?t recall ever seeing the cartographic section of the Constitution, showing where the First Amendment applies and where it doesn?t...

After 10 years in US, abortion pill still divisive

Posted on September 28, 2010
New York Times (AP): "Ten years ago, after long and bitter debate, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved use of the abortion pill by American women. It is hailed as safe and effective, but new turmoil may lie ahead as the pill's proponents consider using telemedicine to make it more available...

Why American public schools need religion courses

Posted on September 28, 2010
Stephen Prothero writing at CNN's Belief blog: "In this, the first major study of religious literacy among American adults, Americans as a whole flunked, answering correctly 16 of 32 questions about Christianity, the Bible and the world?s religions - for an embarrassing score of only 50 percent...

Supreme Court Asked to Review Laws Banning Campaign Speech for Judges

Posted on September 28, 2010
A collection of judges, judicial candidates, and advocacy groups from two states are seeking Supreme Court review of state regulations that place limits on the ability of judicial candidates to campaign for judicial office.

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Senate GOP blocks bill that would promote less outsourcing

Posted on September 28, 2010
Washington Post: "Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked a Democratic plan to encourage companies to bring jobs back from overseas, as a united GOP caucus voted against a motion to debate the measure on the Senate floor."

Judicial deference to Congress versus judicial deference to state legislatures

Posted on September 28, 2010
At The Volokh Conspiracy, Orin Kerr responds to an NYT column by Linc Caplan, who wrote: "[Justice Breyer] fits no conventional model of a liberal. The historian Jeff Shesol wrote in The Times Book Review: 'Breyer has been less willing than any of his fellow justices to overturn acts of Congress...

Poll: Nevadans favor balanced federal budget, let states repeal federal laws

Posted on September 28, 2010
Las Vegas Review-Journal: "A majority of Nevadans say they believe it is time to revive a proposed constitutional amendment requiring a balanced federal budget, according to a new poll. And in a measure of how residents feel about Uncle Sam these days, a majority either support or would not rule out letting states repeal federal laws if two-thirds of the legislatures agree...

Supreme Court will put audio of every argument on web

Posted on September 28, 2010
Associated Press: "Beginning with the new term next week, the court will post audio files of each week's arguments on its website Friday. The court has for several years put the argument transcripts on the site within hours of the arguments."

Senate advances bill aimed at averting shutdown

Posted on September 28, 2010
Associated Press: "A stopgap spending bill that's needed to avert a government shutdown on Friday advanced in the Senate as lawmakers prepared to head for the exits for the midterm elections."

Indian Court rejects deferral of case on holy site

Posted on September 28, 2010
Associated Press: "The Indian Supreme Court rejected Tuesday a plea to delay judgment on whether Hindus or Muslims should control a disputed holy site, clearing the way for a verdict in the explosive case later this week."

AK Democratic Senator eyes hardball with White House to push Alaska drilling

Posted on September 28, 2010
The Hill: "Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) might use Sen. Mary Landrieu?s (D-La.) playbook to force the White House to clarify its policy on oil-and-gas drilling off his state?s coast, telling reporters he hasn?t ruled out blocking an administration nominee over the issue...

Conference at Princeton: Sexuality, Integrity, and the University

Posted on September 28, 2010
Sexuality, Integrity, and the University November 12-13, 2010 Princeton University Speakers include: Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse, Dr. Robert George (Q&A moderator), Dr. Donald Hilton, Dr. Micah Watson, and more. Hosted by: The Love and Fidelity Network, Princeton, NJ Co-sponsored by: Collegiate Cultural Foundation

Are taxpayers really getting soaked by for-profit colleges?

Posted on September 28, 2010
The Daily Caller: "A new report by former Democratic strategist and economist Robert Shapiro will make moving forward on said regulations that much more difficult. In a report titled 'The Public Costs of Higher Education: A Comparison of Public, Private Not-for-Profit, And Private For-Profit Institutions,' Shapiro makes the case that for-profit colleges such as University of Phoenix Online and Kaplan don?t receive nearly as much in federal subsidies as nonprofit private colleges and public universities...

The looming Constitutional crisis in California

Posted on September 28, 2010
Pacific Justice Institute: " . . .  The question must be asked, what happens if the Ninth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court determine that Prop 8 proponents and Imperial County lack sufficient injury under Article III of the U.S. Constitution to have standing? The answer is that an amendment to the California Constitution will be erased without a meaningful review by the courts...

Pacific Justice Institute files Prop 8 brief

Posted on September 28, 2010
Pacific Justice Institute: "The Pacific Justice Institute [filed an amicus brief] Friday afternoon with the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in support of Prop. 8."

Heritage Foundation: Education reform?s kryptonite

Posted on September 28, 2010
Rob Bluey writing at The Heritage Foundation / The Foundry: "There are other troubling aspects of Obama?s education agenda besides his assault on school choice. One of the most alarming is the concentration of power taking place in Washington with national standards...

GOP divided on how to replace health overhaul law

Posted on September 28, 2010
Associated Press: "Republicans are promising to repeal and replace President Barack Obama's health care overhaul if they win control of Congress. But with what? . . . Some have proposed major changes to workplace coverage, even turning Medicare into a voucher plan...

Malaysia calls for moderation to fight extremists

Posted on September 28, 2010
Associated Press: "Malaysia's prime minister called Monday for creation of a 'global movement of moderates' from all faiths to marginalize extremists from all religions."

Small-town mayor stoned to death in western Mexico

Posted on September 28, 2010
Associated Press: "Michoacan state Attorney General Jesus Montejano said the bodies of Tancitaro Mayor Gustavo Sanchez and city adviser Rafael Equihua were discovered in a pickup truck abandoned on a dirt road near the city of Uruapan."

Philippine church hits president on contraception

Posted on September 28, 2010
Associated Press: "Aquino broke that customary silence over the weekend during a forum with Filipino Americans while on a trip to the U.S., where he suggested his administration would be willing to distribute contraceptives to poor couples who couldn't afford it...

FFRF signs onto AHA brief challenging tax credit for religious schools

Posted on September 28, 2010
Freedom From Religion Foundation: "It's wrong to fund religious schools with taxpayer dollars, say the Freedom From Religion Foundation and other advocates for state-church separation in an amicus brief filed in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. In Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization v...

?Beijing police raid gay spot, question dozens?

Posted on September 28, 2010
Associated Press: "Beijing police raided a popular outdoor hangout for gay men and took dozens in for questioning over the weekend as part of a security sweep ahead of China's National Day holiday, an activist said Tuesday."

Court questions Obama Admin lawyers on embryonic research funding appeal

Posted on September 28, 2010
LifeNews: "The Obama administration argued with an appeals court on Monday to overturn the decision a federal judge issued to temporarily halt taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research that destroys human lives to produce. They claimed the temporary funding ban would hurt scientific research ...

Australia: GPs back euthanasia for old people ?tired of life?

Posted on September 28, 2010
Herald Sun: "One in three GPs in major cities believe people older than 70 who feel 'tired of life' should have the right to professional help in ending it, according to a poll conducted for Philip Nitschke's Exit International."

Montana removes ban on religious-based groups in charity programs

Posted on September 28, 2010
Flathead Beacon: "The state Department of Administration said it was glad to remove its ban on sectarian-based groups in the program ? which dates back to the mid-1990s ? after looking into the issue. The program allows state employees to automatically donate to their favorite charity through automatic paycheck deduction...

Tulsa couple wins fight over religious mobile home signage

Posted on September 28, 2010
The News on 6: "The sign squabble started because the couple, who sell mobile homes, wrapped the ends of some of them with large pictures that contained a Bible verse and a picture of a family reading a Bible. The city didn't get complaints, but sign inspectors told the couple the signs required a permit...

Mexican cardinal defends position on same-sex ?marriage?

Posted on September 28, 2010
Catholic News Agency: "Cardinal Norberto Rivera of Mexico City and archdiocesan spokesman, Father Hugo Valdemar, have rejected a request by the National Council for the Prevention of Discrimination (NCPD) to reach a settlement with the plaintiffs who have filed a lawsuit against the clergy members for speaking out against gay 'marriage...

MT: Bozeman unanimously backs same-sex couples? lawsuit

Posted on September 28, 2010
"The Bozeman City Commission . . . unanimously approv[ed] a resolution backing seven same-sex couples suing the state of Montana for the same rights as married couples."

Appeals Court allows Obama to fund embryonic stem cell research during suit

Posted on September 28, 2010
"A federal appeals court has lifted the injunction a federal judge put in place stopping President Barack Obama from forcing taxpayers to finance unproven embryonic stem cell research while scientists continue with their lawsuit against the funding."

DADT failure widens rift among ?gay-rights groups?

Posted on September 28, 2010
Congress.org: "The split has only grown in the months since, with activists such as Choi staging aggressive, low-budget protests to pressure key Democratic leaders, while the Human Rights Campaign has worked quietly behind the scenes in meetings with some of the very same politicians...

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