Religion & Law

Why the Dollar?s Reign Is Near an End

Posted on March 03, 2011
"For decades the dollar has served as the world's main reserve currency, but, argues Barry Eichengreen, it will soon have to share that role. Here's why?and what it will mean for international markets and companies."

GLAD takes a step-by-step approach on ?gay marriage?

Posted on March 03, 2011
LA Times: "Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, or GLAD, is arguing that it is unconstitutional to discriminate against gay couples who are already legally married. It hopes its incremental approach will lead to a broader ruling by the Supreme Court...

Agudath Israel Of America Reacts To Obama Administration Reversal On DOMA

Posted on March 03, 2011
Yeshiva World News: "The Attorney General?s suggestion that laws relating to homosexuality be given ?strict scrutiny? ? the highest protection our law has to offer ? is a leap that flies in the face of Supreme Court jurisprudence and has never been asserted by any Administration of either party...

Will Senate ever vote on Goodwin Liu?

Posted on March 03, 2011
Politico: "Liu, 39, has captured the hopes of liberals who see him as one of Obama?s few bold judicial picks, someone with the intellect and youth for the circuit court bench, a traditional stepping stone to the Supreme Court. But Republicans have argued that he lacks any judicial experience, his legal writings are proof of his intention to legislate from the bench, and his criticism of Supreme Court Judge Samuel Alito after he was nominated to the court revealed an inexperienced social activist who has no place on a federal bench...

To access this complete feed in the blog feed reader login or register for free.

Amendments Proposed To Kentucky Anti-Bullying Bill Intended to Protect Religious Freedom

Posted on March 03, 2011
Religion Clause Blog: One of the amendments would provide that school discipline codes may not "prohibit any student from expressing ... personal religious beliefs so long as that expression does not include physically harming a student or damaging a student's property".

In Turkey, Minority Religious Groups Face Obstacles In Opening Places of Worship

Posted on March 03, 2011
Religion Clause Blog: Forum 18 reported yesterday on the continuing problems faced by minority religious communities in Turkey in establishing and maintaining formally recognized places of worship

Neb.: Bill to limit abortion coverage advances

Posted on March 03, 2011
Forbes: "The proposal would exclude abortion coverage from all private insurance policies sold in Nebraska. Abortion coverage would be allowed only with an optional rider paid for solely by the insured."

Sen. Akaka of Hawaii decides against 2012 run

Posted on March 03, 2011
AP: "With a tiny campaign war chest and indications that powerful Democrats wouldn't support a re-election bid, Sen. Daniel Akaka of Hawaii announced he would step down after his term expires next year."

Nevada family fights for survival in down times

Posted on March 03, 2011
AP: "Burbank and her husband, John Clark, epitomize the dreadful economic situation these days in Nevada, where a once-mighty construction boom has given way to a historic recession and a record 14.9 percent unemployment in Las Vegas."

Pakistani Christians protest politician?s killing

Posted on March 03, 2011
AP: Hundreds of Pakistani Christians demonstrated Thursday against the slaying of a Catholic government minister who had long been their most prominent advocate in the Muslim-majority country, burning tires, demanding justice and even shouting for "a revolution...

Cal. Supreme Court refuses to speed up Prop. 8 review

Posted on March 03, 2011
SCOTUS Blog: "California?s Supreme Court refuses to speed up its review of a key issue bearing on the constitutional challenge to the state?s ban on same-sex marriage."

Police: AZ beheading tied to Mexican drug cartel

Posted on March 03, 2011
Atlanta J. Constitution: "Authorities have determined a man who was stabbed and beheaded in a suburban Phoenix apartment was killed for stealing drugs from a Mexican cartel, in a gruesome example of drug cartel violence spilling over the border . . . More than 34,000 people have been killed in Mexico in drug-related violence since December 2006 ...

Wis. Senate may order police to bring back Dems

Posted on March 03, 2011
AP: "Wisconsin's Senate Republicans have voted to order police to bring their AWOL Democratic colleagues back to work by force if they don't return by late afternoon."

Oregon Constitutional Amendments aim to regulate strip clubs

Posted on March 03, 2011
Beaverton Valley Times: "A pair of resolutions introduced to the Oregon Legislature would alter the state constitution to allow local governments to more easily regulate where adult entertainment businesses can locate. Oregon?s Constitution includes a strong protection for freedom of expression ? stronger than the federal First Amendment protections ? language that has been repeatedly interpreted to protect the rights of adult businesses in zoning fights with cities and counties...

President of Chile stresses importance of the right to life

Posted on March 03, 2011
CNA: "President of Chile Sebastian Pinera,said March 2 that human rights, especially the right to life from conception to natural death, must be protected in order to achieve comprehensive human development."

Christianity the reason for West?s success, say the Chinese

Posted on March 03, 2011
"Note the source. It isn't from a religious leader, or some religious think-tank. The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences is an instrument of the Chinese Communist government . . . "

Chaplains in military fear fallout from repeal of ?don?t ask, don?t tell?

Posted on March 03, 2011
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "The majority of 3,000 chaplains are theologically conservative Christians, many of whom worry that they will be accused of hate speech if they preach that same-sex relationships are sinful. But a Pentagon study found only 2 percent would leave due to a repeal...

Parent Jailed for Denying Kids ?Sex Ed? Classes

Posted on March 03, 2011
Charisma: ?Parents, not the government, are the ones ultimately responsible for making educational choices for their children, and jailing them for standing on this universal right is simply unconscionable,? says ADF Legal Counsel Roger Kiska. ?Irene Wiens was well within her rights under the European Convention of Human Rights to opt to teach her children a view of sexuality that is in accord with her own religious beliefs, instead of sending them to four days of classes and an interactive play that she found to be objectionable...

?First ever openly gay members elected to Irish Parliament?

Posted on March 03, 2011
Irish Central: "Next week Dominic Hannigan and John Lyons will enter the newly elected Irish government as the first openly gay politicians elected as members of Parliament in Ireland."

Links between pornography and sex trafficking

Posted on March 02, 2011
Robert Peters of Morality in Media presentation at the Houston Human Trafficking Conference: What I did come to say is that there is a very substantial evidence to support the assertion that the proliferation of hardcore adult pornography is contributing to the demand for prostitution and thus for women and children trafficked into prostitution...

WV: Senate passes appellate court bill

Posted on March 02, 2011
WVRecord.com: "The push for an intermediate appellate court is now headed to the House of Delegates. The state Senate on Wednesday passed a bill to create a three-judge panel to hear appeals . . . he proposed legislation, Senate Bill 307 . . . "

TSA unionization may open floodgates

Posted on March 02, 2011
Christian Science Monitor: "If there has been any uproar about this, I?ve missed it . . . Obama did a back-door card check by adding thousands of soon-to-be dues-paying government workers at no cost to big labor. Two unions are fighting for the $18 million in annual dues that the TSA crew will provide ...

Idaho: Bill would restrict abortion insurance coverage

Posted on March 02, 2011
Idaho State Journal: "A bill that would ban state insurers from providing coverage for elective abortions has been approved in the Idaho Senate."

Legal Scholar Joins John Jay Institute

Posted on March 02, 2011
Christian Newswire: "Dr. Peter J. Richards appointed affiliated scholar with Philadelphia-based American leadership center."

Holder Confronts Fallout From DOMA Decision

Posted on March 02, 2011
Blog of the Legal Times: "Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. faced questions today about whether he plans to abandon the legal defense of any other federal laws, after the administration's decision last week not to stand up for the core of the Defense of Marriage Act...

Michigan Senate panel approves abortion ban bill

Posted on March 02, 2011
Chicago Tribune: "Some Michigan lawmakers are making another attempt to ban a procedure they call "partial-birth abortion" in state law." | SB 160

Texas House to vote on new abortion rules

Posted on March 02, 2011
Houston Chronicle: "The Texas House began debating a bill on Wednesday that would require doctors to perform a sonogram before providing an abortion. "

?Appeals Court: Naperville Teen Can Wear Anti-Gay Shirt To School?

Posted on March 02, 2011
Huffington Post: "Pursuant of her earnest religious convictions, Heidi sought a way to communicate her belief that homosexual conduct doesn't lead to happiness," Zamecnik's lawyer Nate Kellum told MTV when the suit was filed in 2007. "She wanted to wear a T-shirt communicating that idea...

Traditional marriage: Is it really indefensible?

Posted on March 02, 2011
Charles A. Donovan writes at the Bellingham Herald: "However, the decision to openly switch sides comes midstream in the judicial process. That creates real uncertainty about who will represent the Congress of the United States and the law before the courts...

Same-sex ?marriage? bill stalls in Maryland

Posted on March 02, 2011
Washington Post: "A bill to legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland stalled unexpectedly Tuesday after two delegates who had previously pledged their support deliberately skipped a key voting session needed to move the legislation forward."

Bloggers, promote your law blog by nominating your blog for inclusion in USLaw.com's Law Blog Directory and RSS Reader. Benefits described.