Random bits
Supreme Court says Phelps’ protests are protected speech. And they should be. Offensive speech should be protected.
There is no place in the US legal system for legitimizing Sharia law. Or any other “laws” of religions. The actual bill is pretty dumb and discriminatory but not as advertised by those shaking their fists in righteous indignation would have you believe. It does not ban folks from practicing their religion. It’s stupid and most definitely will not pass constitutional muster. Besides, the stuff our legislators seem to be scared of (terrorism, overthrow of government, warring, Jihad, etc.) is pretty well covered by other laws. The law is pretty weak sauce. But I bet here in Tennessee, it helps get some votes.
March 2nd, 2011 at 12:27 pm
Especially here in Rutherford County, where the bill’s sponsor is from. There is a really nasty ongoing legal battle about a mosque being built here. The arguments against the mosque basically boil down to “I hate those people and they shouldn’t be allowed to be here.”
I wish I were exagerrating, but I’m not.
March 2nd, 2011 at 2:16 pm
No relation.
March 2nd, 2011 at 3:30 pm
There is one issue I see with the law:
Setting aside the Sharia part, it permits Tennessee to designate terrorist organizations independent of the federal government, and then makes supporting these organizations a felony even if that support was not part of a conspiracy to commit terrorism.
So it creates a situation where someone donates to an Islamic charity that the federal government says okay, and then gets charged with a felony in Tennessee because the current Attorney General there thinks otherwise. Should people in the other 49 states have to deal with that? If other states follow suit, will people be responsible for keeping up to date with all 50 lists?
March 3rd, 2011 at 9:09 am
The “laboratory of the states” churns on, exceedingly fine. TN has earned its cutting-edge status on this: from Jonesborough to Pulaski to Athens, it’s always been where the action is (excepting of course that Whiskey Thing). I reckon a Volunteer knows a ‘designated entity’ when he meets one. Carry on, and (like some other times) let the rest of us learn from your experience.
March 3rd, 2011 at 10:06 am
Well, those of us who think due process isn’t limited to white people don’t appreciate your attempts to make the Tenessee Attorney General the new Secretary of State for the rest of the country.