Wednesday, March 31, 2004

High court to mull academy’s mullet case

The legal dispute over whether a St. Raphael Academy student has a "contractual right" to keep his long hair, or his long locks are disruptive to the parochial high school’s right to set its own rules and he must conform to them or leave, will soon be argued in the state’s high court. Russell Gorman III, an honors student at the school where he is now a junior, secured an injunction to keep his "mullet" cut then won a Superior Court ruling in October 2002.

Full article here.

Pointer via Bashman


Continue Reading

Pigs killed, injured en route to packing plant

...

The Norfolk paper reports here ("25 pigs killed when truck overturns," 3/30/04) on the truck accident involving a load of 100 pigs headed for the Smithfield packing plant. The survivors, presumably, can look forward to the rest of the trip through the packing plant.

via SW Virginia Law Blog


Continue Reading

Tuesday, March 30, 2004

Fantastic Class Distraction

Check this out. You'll be glad you did.

Free Time . . Bush Shootout


Continue Reading

Monday, March 29, 2004

DEMONcrats' hijinks hijack the appointment process

I don't know if any of you have seen, but Daschle has now vowed to hold up every Bush appointee to ANY position until Daschle's "demands" are met. I saw it today in "Roll Call" but I think you may have to have a subscription to get the full story. You might start watching for it on Drudge. Daschle accuses Bush of "poisoning the political process" with his recent recess appointments. Apparently, Daschle has forgotten why Bush needed to make those appointments.


Continue Reading

Saturday, March 27, 2004

More Gay Activist Common Sense

"There may be less blood in the blood supply, or we can continue to have a world full of hate and discrimination"

Red Cross Blood Drives Discriminatory?


Continue Reading

Friday, March 26, 2004

Do you feel that somehow you're not measuring up in the eyes of your fellow academics?
Has being politically correct become an increasingly difficult goal to attain in your budding academic career?
Not to worry. Just brush up on the following left-lib etiquette in public discourse and everyday social interactions, and success will be yours.
Just remember that the following are the basic principles upon which all public debate and lifestyle choices must be conducted if you wish to be a true progressive leftist and politically correct:

1. Leftists should be free to call everyone else nasty names, but no one should be permitted to call leftists nasty names in return.

2. For a leftist to call someone nasty names shows social concern and awareness. For someone to call a leftist a nasty name back is immature and impolite and a guise for avoiding the issues.

3. Leftists need never document their claims (from birth, they know more than everyone else).

4. Whenever a leftist is presented with documentation of facts that contradict the leftist's theology, the leftist must insist that no facts have been presented at all.

5. No scientific sources that presents facts contradicting leftist theology are admissible. Only traditional leftist "facts" count.

6. All arguments may be settled by telling a non-leftist that he reminds you of Rush Limbaugh...or Bill O'Reilly.

7. Never ever take an economics course.

8. Never recognize the fact that every idea of Marx's was debunked over 150 years ago. Never read any social science written since Marx. Never admit that you know that Marx was a racist and anti-Semite.

9. Never visit the library.

10. Never study statistics or public-policy analysis.

11. Always insist that you truly believe at least 10% of humans are gay and that gay people are not abnormal.

12. Always say "people of color" so everyone will know you care.

13. Recycle -- conspicuously.

14. Pretend that you do not care about material things, but always buy the most expensive, cutting-edge High Definition TV, home-theatre system, or food processor.

15. Never admit that life ever involves tradeoffs. After all, when there are tradeoffs, it is harder to feel righteous.

16. Always support proposals that make the real problems of the world appear worse, just so long as agreeing with those proposals makes you feel caring and righteous.

17. Never admit that anything could be positive about the United States. Remember, the United States is the source of every problem in the world.

18. Always insist that there are few world problems that could not be improved through the destruction of Israel.

19. Always insist that you have no idea what political correctness is. (Then righteously put down the person next to you for his or her alleged racial or gender insensitivity).

20. Insist that you are more caring and compassionate than anyone else (except perhaps Mother Teresa and Hillary Clinton).

21. Always use the female pronouns half the time or more. That way everyone will know you are egalitarian.

22. Remember, you would rather that poor people in the Third World starve, rather than that they should embrace capitalism and live like you do.

23. Other people (especially in Third World nations) must always be required to relinquish their material well-being, so that you may feel idealistic.

24. Your property is sacred; other people's property is to be used for social engineering and doing good.

25. After religiously following the preceding strictures, commend yourself for being such an enlightened, caring person...unlike George W. Bush and the nation's selfish Republican voters.

Steven Plaut (Iconoclast contributor)


Continue Reading

What Good is Canadia Anyway?

I may have finally found the answer. Check out Iconoclast. Still second fiddle to the Onion of course, but how much can you really expect from the world's largest exporter of asbestos, earthworms, and mobile homes?


Continue Reading

Take that, GayLaw

Armed Services Committee Acts To Strengthen Solomon Amendment

"Unfortunately, the Department of Defense has documented isolated incidents where certain colleges and universities have blocked military recruiters from campus, including one case in which organized faculty and students heckled both recruiters and potential candidates. This simply must not continue."

Full article here.


Continue Reading

Thursday, March 25, 2004

The Shameless Eleven

So, the Senate finally passed the bill making the killing of a fetus during a violent crime a separate offense. The final vote was 61-38. But the actual vote was much closer, Feinstein had introduced an amendment that was a substitute...the key provision was essentially the exact opposite of the bill being considered. That amendment was only defeated by a vote of 50-49.

What does that mean? In short, 11 Senators were against this bill and tried to kill it, but were too ashamed to let their constituents find out about their real position. It's a reverse Kerry: "I only voted against it before I voted for it."

The Hall of Shame (Senators not willing to let their real preferences be shown to the voters):

Specter, Daschle, Carper, Bingaman, Rockefeller, Landrieu, Dorgan, Pryor, Dayton, Conrad, Reid.


Continue Reading

Wednesday, March 24, 2004

dead iraqi civilians

Does anyone have the numbers on how many iraqi and kuwaiti civilians are dead because of Sadaam?


Continue Reading

Tuesday, March 23, 2004

Judicial Nominations

For those of you who haven't yet lost interest in the judicial nomination wars, here are the latest stats from DOJ/OLP on Bush's nominees to the federal bench:

Combined Art III nominees: 118
Combined Art III nominees confirmed: 71 (60%)


Circuit Court of Appeals nominees: 32
Circuit Court of Appeals nominees confirmed: 13 (41%)


25 of the 46 current vacancies on the federal bench are so-called "judicial emergencies"


Continue Reading

Idiots of the World, Unite!

If you haven't yet done so, be sure to check out these photos of the protestors. They've been floating around many blogs, so you may have already seen them. These are the photos that the media won't show.

My hunch is that these people are the reason we have warning labels on everything...otherwise they'd all try making toast in the bathtub (and it might not be such a bad thing).


Continue Reading

Monday, March 22, 2004

Take the Test

I am the Godfather
http://similarminds.com/movie.html


Continue Reading

The Next Step?

...

"Next." Good morning. We want to apply for a marriage license."

"Names?"

"Tim and Jim Jones."

"Jones? Are you related? I see a resemblance."

"Yes, we're brothers."

"Brothers? You can't get married."

"Why not? Aren't you giving marriage licenses to same gender
couples?"

"Yes, thousands. But we haven't had any siblings. That's incest!"

"Incest?" No, we are not gay."

"Not gay? Then why do you want to get married?"

"For the financial benefits, of course. And we do love each other.
Besides, we don't have any other prospects."

"But we're issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples
who've been denied equal protection under the law. If you are not gay,
you can
get married to a woman."

"Wait a minute. A gay man has the same right to marry a woman as I have.
But just because I'm straight doesn't mean I want to marry a woman. I
want to marry Jim."

"And I want to marry Tim, Are you going to discriminate against us just
because we are not gay?"

"All right, all right. I'll give you your license. Next."

"Hi. We are here to get married."

"Names?"

"John Smith, Jane James, Robert Green, and June Johnson."

"Who wants to marry whom?"

"We all want to marry each other."

"But there are four of you!"

"That's right. You see, we're all bisexual. I love Jane and Robert, Jane
loves me and June, June loves Robert and Jane, and Robert loves June and
me. All of us getting married together is the only way that we can
express our sexual preferences in a marital relationship."

"But we've only been granting licenses to gay and lesbian couples."

"So you're discriminating against bisexuals!"

"No, it's just that, well, the traditional idea of marriage is that it's
just for couples."

"Since when are you standing on tradition?"

"Well, I mean, you have to draw the line somewhere."

"Who says? There's no logical reason to limit marriage to couples.
The more the better. Besides, we demand our rights! The mayor says the
constitution guarantees equal protection under the law. Give us a
marriage license!"

"All right, all right. Next."

"Hello, I'd like a marriage license."

"In what names?"

"David Deets."

"And the other man?"

"That's all. I want to marry myself."

"Marry yourself? What do you mean?"

"Well, my psychiatrist says I have a dual personality, so I want to
marry the two together. Maybe I can file a joint income-tax return."

"That does it! I quit!! You people are making a mockery of marriage!!"


Continue Reading

Wednesday, March 17, 2004

a little help?

Maybe Ryan and Matt could get these guys to help them out with their fight against the Gay Law group.


Continue Reading

From the Corner

W&L not conservative? Tell us something we don't already know....


NOT MY FIGHT [Jonah Goldberg]

But a lot of Hampden-Syndey students are mighty peeved by the idea that W&L is more conservative. One of many similar emails:

Slanderer! The two most conservative colleges in the U.S. are Hampden-Sydney and Hillsdale. Washington & Lee looks conservative, but is really pretty light in it's well-shined loafers. What would the Princeton Review know about conservative schools anyway. Hillsdale is pretty doctrinaire, but it's in the middle of the tundra. How can you read your Austrian economics with mittens on? The litmus test for conservative colleges in the south is the shotgun to student ratio, and Hampden-Sydney has got everyone beat. It must be something like 3:1. Plus, it never went co-ed, unlike the nancy boys at Washington and Leigh.

Posted at 01:13 PM


Continue Reading

more hints

I am The Raiders of the Lost Ark; I live for adventure, fortune-hunting, and danger according to http://similarminds.com/movie.html.

And, somehow, I am JFK; I like power because it increases my sexual options; I am a thrill-seeker by nature and don't shy away from risky behavior according to http://similarminds.com/leader.html. Funny, somehow I thought I would be Lincoln.


Continue Reading

In case you were wondering . . .

. . . who farmgirl07 is, I'll give you a littel hint. I scored a 139 on the Libertarian Purity Test.


Continue Reading

Goldberg's Recap of Last Night

From the Corner...

WASHINGTON & LEE [Jonah Goldberg]

I had a very nice time down in Lexington last night. The campus is beautiful. I gave my remarks in Lee Chapel which is stately, impressive and contains the remains of the whole Lee family from what I gather (the horse is somewhere nearby too). Giving a speech in a chapel, never mind this particular chapel, was a bit inhibiting when it comes to the usual porn jokes and what not. But I told them in Latin so only the really cool kids got them. My one regret is that I didn't get to make likee Cyrus in the "Warriors" and shout "Caaaaannnnn youuuuuu diiiiiiggggg it!?" even once. (Also, just for the record since I hear the W&L administration is fixated on Williams College, their chapel is nicer looking though less historic).

The crowd wasn't as big as I would have expected from a school which is allegedly the most conservative in the country (#2 actually after Grove City according to Princeton Review). Other impressions: as I anticipated, the students at first were painfully polite in the finest southern tradition (Mr. Goldberg this, Mr. Goldberg that) almost -- but not quite -- reaching that children-of-the-corn uniformity. But once they loosened up they were a very impressive bunch of kids and at least the ones I met are disturbingly up-to-speed on all things NRO. Brett Kirwan the young man who introduced me might as well have been parked outside my house in a gray Buick with a parabolic mic taking notes, he had so many G-philic details (that's G-phillic with two "i"s, one "l" an no "a"s). Lexington is a very charming little town from what I saw of it (which wasn't much). And, man, what a thriving gay community!

Anyway, thanks very much to Brett, Victoria Guroian (Chairwoman of the ominously titled "Welcoming Committee") and to the Young Americans Foundation and W&L Hillel (go figure!) for bringing me to campus.


Continue Reading

Scalia at William & Mary

Scalia's comments at William & Mary this week.

The Justice has been to George Mason, UVA (more than once), and William & Mary since my class started law school.

I could swear there was another top-tier law school in VA. The name escapes me right now though...


Continue Reading

Posting Guidelines

Wedged in today's misformatted law notices, is an announcement that the SBA voted 9-0 last night to change the posting guidelines. I'm disturbed that this action was taken without any prior notice and opportunity to address the SBA on the issue. Comments?

-----------

Lara JacobsSBA Posting Guidelines
The SBA adopted the following posting guidelines at its meeting last
night, by a 9-0 vote.

Bylaw 10 : Posting Guidelines (Adopted 3/16/04)

Section 10.01 : Recognized Law School Organizations
1. Shall be permitted to post a maximum of fifteen (15) posters for
each event, and a total of thirty (30) posters maximum at any one time.
2. Such posters shall be event specific and shall be posted for a
maximum duration of twenty-eight (28) days.
3. Postings shall be permitted on:
(A) Any designated bulletin boards
(B) The staircase leading from the student parking lot, including the
glass windows and the doors that lead into and out of this staircase.
The double wooden doors that lead to Classroom A
All Carrels
The door at the bottom of the staircase leading down from the Main
Reading Room
The double wooden doors near the SBA Free Speech Board
The TV Area
4. Postings shall not be permitted:
(A) On any other windows
(B) On any painted surfaces
(C) In the Moot Court Lobby Area
(D) In the Moot Court Lobby Hallway
(E) In the Computer Lab Hallway
(F) On the 4th Floor, except in designated Posting Areas
(G) On any restroom door or within any restroom
(H) In or around any classroom entrance, including the
classroom hallways
(I ) On any organization board where such posting is not
expressly permitted by that organization
(J) On the SBA free speech board

Section 10.02 : Registered Law School Students
1. Shall be permitted to post on any designated bulletin board
including the SBA free speech board and on their own personal carrel.

Section 10.03 : Non Law School Individuals and Organizations
1. Signs must be approved and date stamped by the Library Circulation
Desk before posting.
2. Signs may only be posted on designated bulletin boards.
3. Signs may not be posted on student carrels, library doors or the
SBA free spee

(the rest must have been cut off)


Continue Reading

Tuesday, March 16, 2004

To those of you who missed the Goldberg speech...

SHAME ON YOU!


Continue Reading

Foreign Leaders for Kerry

I was just going to put together a spoof like this, but somebody beat me to it.


Continue Reading

Monday, March 15, 2004

Canadians

It seems that Canadians are trying to expand. This can't be good for anybody.


Continue Reading

Which weird Latin phrase are you?

Stupid time waster, perhaps.

But I like the result. Here's which phrase I am:

Magister Mundi sum! "I am the Master of the Universe!" You are full of yourself, but you're so cool you probably deserve to be. Rock on.


Continue Reading

From the Corner

Complete post for those who don't read NRO (shame on you):

MAKING SENSE OF 9/11 [Michael Graham]

One of the questions pragmatic observers have asked since the Al Qaeda attacks on Washington and New York is "What were they thinking?" What could the terrorists possibly hope to accomplish? Didn't they know America would strike back, and strike back hard? Al Qaeda lost far more than they gained. What did they think we would do?

Now we know. The Islamo-fascist terrorists thought that America would do in 2001 what the Spanish did Sunday: Surrender. They thought we would say (as a handful of Americans on the left did at the time) "just let them have what they want. Let's abandon Israel and leave Saudi Arabia. It's not worth it."

We did not retreat. We fought. The Islamists misjudged us. They thought we were Europeans.

When they withdraw their brave soldiers from Iraq, will it be fair to call the Spanish voters "cowards?" Should they be blamed if other Western nations are attacked in coming months because the Madrid bombing is perceived as a success for the terrorists?

Does it matter, if that's what the Islamo-fascists think?


Continue Reading

Contraception & Homosexual "Marriage"

I agree with much of what this author has to say in today's WSJ opinion piece. It's refreshing to see the negative effects of artificial contraception proclaimed by people outside the Catholic Church from time to time.

(Historical note: Until 1930, all Protestant denominations agreed with the Catholic Church’s teaching condemning contraception as sinful. At its 1930 Lambeth Conference, the Anglican church, swayed by growing social pressure, announced that contraception would be allowed in some circumstances. Soon the Anglican church completely caved in, allowing contraception across the board. Since then, all other major Protestant denominations have followed suit.)

I think the author falls short, however, in discussing only the procreative aspect of sex -- as if the unitive aspect of sex (the reciprocal self-giving of the spouses) did not exist. He also misses the mark by focusing on the "psychobiological" interests of the spouses while omitting the interests of the children in the assured love and fidelity of both a father and mother. Perhaps I'm nit-picking and the article would have been too long to raise these issues...

But in any event, I believe it is too soon to abandon the ship of traditional, state-sanctioned marriage. Even with the near-universal use of artificial contraceptives (including a vast majority of Catholics), there's still more to today's marriages than a "shortcut way to make the legal compact regarding property rights, inheritance and certain other regulatory benefits."


Continue Reading

Sad, but not surprising

A California town was on the verge of banning products made from water after a paralegal there stumbled upon a spoof website proclaiming the dangers of dihydrogen monoxide. Link here.


Continue Reading

Hillel

Hillel groups are ordinarily Jewish student groups...although I must confess that I know nothing in particular about the group here at W&L.


Continue Reading

Sunday, March 14, 2004

Jonah Goldberg

I found this only by googling the cached copy of recent campus notices. They've done a terrible job of promoting this event.
Does anybody know what HILLEL is?

In any case, here are the details:

CONTACT and HILLEL present JONAH GOLDBERG!
Adam Patrick Allogramento

CONTACT and HILLEL Present:

Jonah Goldberg, "Diversity, Pacifism and Other Controversial Ideas,"
Tuesday, March 16th, 7:30pm in Lee Chapel.

Jonah Goldberg is the editor of the National Review Online, and a
syndicated columnist for The New Yorker, the Wall Street Journal, and
The Women's Quarterly. Come see the self-proclaimed "voice of the
vast right wing conspiracy" speak on the state of American culture
and politics. After the speech, a reception will be held in the
Alumni House.


Continue Reading

Saturday, March 13, 2004

Fear and Loathing


In college classrooms, conservatives are "The Other," a strange tribe much detested.


WSJ Editorial


Continue Reading

Thursday, March 11, 2004

Manny Miranda Defends Actions in "Memo-Gate"

I met Manny when he was still working for Hatch (before moving to Frist's office) and know him -- through other staffers -- as a solid Catholic, superb lawyer, and all-around standup guy.

The way Frist, Hatch & Co. hung him out to dry to try to forge a strained peace with Senate Judiciary Dems (a laughable prospect) is unconscionable.

Here's his NRO article.


Continue Reading

Banquet Reminder

The evening of Friday, April 2nd, our Fed Chapter will have its 1st Annual Banquet at the Lex Golf & Country Club.

Assistant U.S. Attorney General Tom Sansonetti (W&L '76L) will be the speaker.

Clear your calendars!


Continue Reading

Barbara Comstock shreds Kerry's Record

NRO Article here.

Barbara was the DOJ Spokeswoman when Brownback and I interned at OPA last year.


Continue Reading

Wednesday, March 10, 2004

Priceless Cheney Speech

Over at the Weekly Standard, they have Cheney's remarks from the gridiron dinner. Absolutely Hilarious.


Continue Reading

America, land of the thankless...

...

Good article by Michelle Malkin on the AG's detractors at townhall.com


Continue Reading

Tuesday, March 09, 2004

Abortion, Gays, and other great ways to avoid writing the paper that's due on Monday

Fellow Bloggers,
If you're completely bored out of your skull, you can read my response to a lib classmate on gays and abortion issues.
....Or you could come over to school and help me write the campaign finance reform paper that I SHOULD have been writing instead of engaging in e-mail combat.

-----------------------

XXXXXXX,

Thanks for taking the time to write.

The first round of posters that I put up was identical to the second round. Simple, text-only posters providing the opposing viewpoint to the GayLaw "end the ban" posters. Unless simply stating the text of the current law of the land and the majority view of Americans and their elected representatives is in and of itself insensitive, than my posters were as innocuous as possible. Nevertheless, my posters were torn down by other students within 12 hours.

Any "anger" (that the letter accompanying my second round exhibits) is due entirely to my frustration over the general intolerance for conservative views on campus -- not restricted to this particular issue. Our faculty and administration may LOOK like America, but they certainly don't THINK like America. Our school fawns over liberal causes and viewpoints across the entire range of social issues and portrays conservative Americans as intolerant haters. I have a problem with that. The marginalization of conservative viewpoints on issues of major social concern makes W&L an instrument of liberal indoctrination, not education.

My view of the "gays in the military" issue is as follows:

1. The purpose of the military is to fight and win our nation's wars.
(historical and current policy decision).

2. Inclusion of gays would weaken the military as a fighting force.
(a matter of opinion on which reasonable people can differ -- but with which I agree).

3. There is no constitutional right to serve in the military.
(constitutional law as it stands at present).

4. DoD agrees with points 1&2 and asked Congress to re-codify the ban on gay military service.

5. Congress responded with a legislative ban passed by a bi-partisan, veto-proof majority.

6. Given no constitutional right, the will of the elected majority SHOULD prevail, and the courts SHOULD NOT take this issue out of the political process.

7. Yet I'm doubtful that courts will stay out of the fray -- because, frankly, judges don't respect their limits under the constitutional separation of powers.

8. So my prediction is that gays will be extended a judicially-created right to serve, and there won't be much of anything the majority of Americans who disagree with the judiciary's decision will be able to do about it. After all, a President with his own party in the majority of both houses of Congress still cannot seat judges of his choice on the federal bench (witness the filibusters of conservative -- and especially minority conservative -- judiciary nominees). Federal judges are today's Olympians, legislating by judicial decree and shaping society to suit their particular ideological bent, without regard for the great tradition of American democracy. THAT is what really gets my blood boiling...not the relatively small potatoes of one particular social issue.

Yet having just termed single social issues "small potatoes," I'm afraid I have to immediately distinguish abortion, which is an issue of singular gravity in our society....

As for abortion and Matt's posters, all I can say is that I (like Matt) am convinced scientifically, philosophically, and theologically that pre-born humans are persons who are entitled to the equal protection of the laws. At present, millions of pre-born Americans are being denied the most fundamental of our rights -- the right to life -- and are being slaughtered in a commercial industry to make the lives those who should be their most ardent defenders (their parents) more convenient. I hold the view that mass murder of the innocent is being committed on our watch; and this view allows no mushy middle ground for a moral actor to tread.

Many Americans once considered Blacks less than human. Many Germans once considered Jews less than human. Should we have "entertained all sides" of those arguments and "empathized" with those who butchered Jews and reduced Blacks to slavery (and worse)? Wouldn't you agree that in the face of pure evil, political correctness and niceties must give way to decisive action -- even if such action is deemed shocking or offensive to some?

You find Matt's use of grisly abortion photos offensive and shocking, yet if we study social reform movements, we find that they ALWAYS exposed the injustice they were fighting, and that this exposure was an integral key to their success.

For example, the civil rights movement was galvanized when the 14-year-old boy, Emmett Till, was killed and thrown in the Tallahatchie River. Authorities wanted to bury the body quickly, but his mother insisted on an open casket funeral so the world could see what was done to her boy. Black Americans everywhere saw the mutilated corpse when the photo was carried in Jet magazine.

Dr. King was guided by the philosophy he expressed in his famous Letter from a Birmingham Jail, in which he wrote, "Like a boil that can never be cured so long as it is covered up but must be opened with all its ugliness to the natural medicines of air and light, injustice must be exposed, with all the tension its exposure creates, to the light of human conscience and the air of national opinion before it can be cured." As long as segregation was hidden under the veils of euphemism, or was discussed in words alone, it could not galvanize the opposition required to overcome it. But when the injustice of it was brought before the TV cameras of America as Blacks were attacked with dogs, hoses, and other forms of violence, people saw the evil that words alone could not convey.

In the Library of Congress there is an exhibit of about five thousand photographs taken by Lewis Hine in the midst of another struggle for justice. He used these photographs to combat industrial exploitation of children. He said to those who complained, "Perhaps you are weary of child labor pictures. Well, so are the rest of us. But we propose to make you and the whole country so sick and tired of the whole business that when the time for action comes, child labor abuses will be creatures of the past."

Government officials have been well aware of the power of photos for social change. President Woodrow Wilson ensured that no photos of the World War I battlefield carnage ever reached the public. These same suppressed photos were later used by isolationists trying to keep the United States out of Word War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt set up a special section of the Farm Security Administration to use ¼ million photos to sell his New Deal programs.

Educators likewise are not unaware of the need to graphically portray injustice. Just look at the way the movie "Schindler's List" has been used to educate the young about the holocaust. Some have objected that such a graphic portrayal of such violence may in fact hurt children psychologically. Yet liberals who support the use of the film claim that greater weight must be given to the need to prevent such violence in the first place.

In 1995, the LA Times reported an effort at Jefferson High School to stop street violence. Freshmen were shown slide after slide of victims blown apart by bullets.

In the courtroom, photographic evidence holds a critical place. "There are no charts, no words, that can convey what these photographs can," argued prosecutor Brian Kelberg in a dispute over whether photos of the slashed murder victims could be shown to O.J. Simpson's jurors. The defense had argued that the photos were too distressing and sickening, and should not be shown. Charts and diagrams were suggested as an alternative. But the judge allowed the photos.

Examples can be multiplied, from the efforts to make people aware of famines and starvation, to the horrors of the Vietnam war, to the efforts of environmentalists and animal-rights activists to awaken the public to the abuse of other living creatures. Can you blame Matt and other pro-lifers for simply exposing the injustice we are fighting in abortion in the same way that successful social reform movements of the past have done?

The WORD abortion has lost practically all its meaning. Not even the most vivid description, in words alone, can adequately convey the horror of this act of violence. Abortion is sugar-coated by rhetoric which hides its gruesome nature. What a pro-life person has in mind when he speaks about abortion and what the average American has in mind when he hears the word are two very different things. One of the key reasons the pro-life movement is not making more progress is that we so often assert before the public that abortion is an act of violence, but do not produce the evidence which would lead people to this conclusion.

Photographic evidence is the most trusted source of information in any discipline. It transcends language and logic, and goes straight to the heart, where people are motivated to take action, instead of merely to the head, where people passively entertain all sorts of concepts without any commitment necessarily following. People absorb impressions rather than substance. Although a photo is just a slice of reality, if it is the right slice, it captures the distilled essence of an event in a way that nothing else can. A photo is even more powerful than a video, since it is the difference between 30 images per second vs. one image for 30 seconds.

The fact that the use of such images is disturbing does not mean such use is wrong. The free-speech rights guaranteed under the First Amendment apply even to speech which is disturbing, as the Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld. Such disturbance is part of the price we pay for freedom. People might also be disturbed, annoyed, and upset by the blaring sirens of an ambulance rushing through the neighborhood. Yet the noise serves a purpose: People's lives are at stake, and the ambulance must be given the right of way.

Abortion is a poverty, an unspeakable crime, and a scourge on our land. I believe that America will only reject abortion when it SEES abortion. So, yes, I support the posters Matt has been hanging around the school and have urged him not falter in the face of those who call him "insensitive" or "intolerant."
Childrens' lives are at stake.

Well, if you've read this far through my too long epistle, I think you have the fleshed out viewpoint you asked for...and possibly more than you bargained for... Enjoy the rest of your break!


Continue Reading

Jonah Goldberg Tues. March 16 Lee Chapel

Perhaps I just couldn't find it...but why do I see every little po-dunk event up on the W&L calendar except this one?

Could it be that when those "right wing crazies" get together, the University would rather not publicize it?


Continue Reading

Monday, March 08, 2004

My score

53...I suspect it would have been higher had the questions just been a bit more nuanced instead of extreme black and white.


Continue Reading

Libertarian Purity Test

I scored a 35 -- "Your libertarian credentials are obvious. Doubtlessly you will become more extreme as time goes on."

Try out the test


Continue Reading

"9th Circuit Court Overturns New Iraq Constitution"

(2004-03-08) -- Just hours after the 25-member Iraqi Governing Council approved that nation's new interim constitution, a three-judge panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned it on the grounds that it provides "excessive power to the ignorant masses."

"Democracy cannot be entrusted to millions of people who have never been to law school," an unnamed judge wrote for the panel. "Ultimately power must rest in the hands of those who know what's best for others. That's the American model, and that is what we should export to the world."

The Ninth Circuit panel said it might reconsider its ruling if the Iraqi Governing Council were to allow the establishment of branch campuses of Harvard and Yale Universities in Baghdad.

"It's possible that within 10 to 12 years," the panel concluded, "that judges could be prepared to rule equitably in Iraq as they do here in the United States. Only then could Iraq return to the relative stability it has enjoyed for the past three decades."

via Scrappleface


Continue Reading

Posters Round #2

These will probably be torn down by the time you get back to school ... so here's an FYI of what I posted (again) today next to all of the GayLaw propaganda:

-----

Dear Classmates,

This is my second attempt to inject some ideological balance into the Gays in the Military debate. My first posters didn’t last 12 hours in this community of tolerance before being torn down.

Look, I’m not a fan of ideological posters plastering our entire law school either … but if the administration is going to encourage the Licentious Left to post their talking points everywhere, then conservatives have an equal right to post their position on issues of social concern and to not have them torn down by those who simply disagree with their politics.

GayLaw takes the position that homosexuals are being wronged by their exclusion from military service. My personal posters are meant to highlight the fact that this supposed “wrong” was extensively debated by the U.S. Congress just 10 years ago and found utterly vapid. The determination that homosexuals may not serve in the military was codified in 1993 by a VETO-PROOF, BIPARTISAN MAJORITY of Congress (when the DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONTROLLED BOTH CHAMBERS & THE PRESIDENCY -- there’s no use blaming nutty right-wingers for this one!).

So let’s be clear on who is “way out of the mainstream” (as Senate Dems like to say) on this issue.

Posted by Ryan Berry, ‘04L
Captain, USAFR

P.S. Slapping a “former” on my rank is insulting. I am an officer in the Reserves and can be recalled to active duty at any time at the pleasure of the President and without the imposition of the draft. I’ve been ready for that phone call every day of law school since 9/11.

Please do not remove until 5-1-04 (or whenever our ideological debates are once again restricted to the “free speech board”)


Continue Reading

Friday, March 05, 2004

Ashcroft in ICU

Mark Carallo says the Attorney general has severe case of gallstone pancreatitis. Hospitalized at GWU.


Continue Reading

Thursday, March 04, 2004

I support Matt

I support Matt Marshall's bold decision to post pictures that show the devastating and gruesome results of our Court's desire for abortion on demand. There are two strong reasons to support Matt. (1) Abortion is killing, which is almost always wrong. Marshall has courageously stepped out and lived his faith. (2) Marshall has exposed our administration's innate bias and desire to engage in impermissible viewpoint discrimination. Our administration is more than happy to let our halls be polluted with left-wing whining by fellow travelers, but gets queasy when something controversial on the right is said. Sniper.


Continue Reading

Loss of Members

It is true that we have lost some "members" as a result of the use of our e-mail list to talk about Matt's postings. Having talked to some of these people, it was not just Matt's postings nor his use of the list that resulted in their request to be removed from the list. Their reasoning, in part, was that the e-mail list which is normally used to inform members about events and membership benefits was being used more like a blog. This is one of the reasons we started a blog.

Regardless of that, the people I talked to said that they long ago decided that the Federalist Society was not for them, but this particular event just made them realize that they were on the mailing list. They, therefore, asked to be removed. That is fine, and we should honor their request. And, we should definitely not blame Matt or anyone else who used the e-mail list for losing these people. The truth is, we lost them awhile ago.


Continue Reading

Wednesday, March 03, 2004

Begun, the posting wars have...

I'm going to have to agree with those supporting Matt. I agree with his message (at least 90% of it), but that's not all that important right now.

What is more important is that another organization has taken the (relatively) unprecedented step of posting fliers everywhere solely to promote a political message. If political messages and agendas are to be encapsulated in law school postings...then let it be. But that must mean that every voice gets to be heard.

What strikes me most is the fact that other students are offended by the images they see. They're not offended (at least not offended as much) by a pro-life message. Instead, it's the image that they focus on. I have always been an advocate of full, open, and honest debate/discussion on any issue...but if certain people want to block a portrayal of the factual consequences of an abortion, that's not going to happen.

Why is the image so "offensive"? We've all been exposed to blood and gore on the movie screen, haven't we? Here's an idea...just a theory...there are some folks out there who would rather not have to look at the actual consequences of a policy they support. They'd rather sweep it under the rug. I'd rather that didn't happen. After all, if it's just a "clump of cells," what's the big deal?

Finally, regarding concerns over whether we may lose members: so be it (so say I, speaking as an individual and not as a leader or representative of the Federalist Society). Matt is a Federalist, yes, but he posted as an individual and the way I see the Federalist Society is that there are no litmus tests for being a member, save one: support of free, open, honest, and fair discussion.


Continue Reading

Why I hate Specter summed up in one short paragraph...

Didn't think it was possible...but then I saw the transcript of Specter's latest primary campaign commercial:

Les Sheaffer – Brittany’s father:
“Brittany has a disease called Mucopolysaccharidosis, MPS.
She’s not going to go to the prom. She’s not going to have a wedding. She’s eleven years old but cognitively she functions as an infant, and she can’t be left unattended for any length of time.
We had nursing care that was approved. The insurance company then reduced her care and then denied the care that her doctor said that she needed. When I went to Pat Toomey’s office, and I asked for help and I followed up with three phone calls after that meeting and I never even got a phone call back.
I approached Senator Specter’s office and asked for some assistance because I didn’t know what else to do; I didn’t know where else to go. Senator Specter cut the red tape and made sure that Brittany got the nursing care that she needed.
The bottom line is nobody’s been better in the Senate for children with rare diseases than Senator Specter.
Pat Toomey has other priorities, but I don’t know what they are.”


(via The Corner)


Continue Reading

What good is Canadia anyway?

Canadia is the world's largest exporter of dry peas, uranium, asbestos, earthworms, and mobile homes. What's not to like?


Continue Reading

Real Men in Canada?

Is this covered by Canada's universal prison care system? What else is there to do in Canada except sit around in prison? As long as they get hockey games on the universal cable tv care system, I'm sure the time in prison is more fun than ordinary, everyday life in the the Great White Universal Care North.


Continue Reading

Tuesday, March 02, 2004

Undoubtedly what I would do

Is THIS proof that there are still some real men left in Canada?


Continue Reading

GAMES

Wonderful time wasters. (Or maybe it just seemed that way due to my intoxication.)

Ordinary Penguin Batting

Bloody Penguin Batting

More Penguin Abuse


Continue Reading

Judicial Nominees

Now it looks like they're all on hold. News article link via Bashman.


Continue Reading

Re: Over the line

A minor clarification: I've been informed by a source much more knowledgeable in the cultures of the Middle East than I am that the practice depicted there is not grounded in Islam. Instead, apparently, it is grounded in the history of the Shia people. (In my opinion, that doesn't make it any more acceptable, but place blame where blame is due. Apparently it's a cultural and not a religious flaw.)


Continue Reading

Over the line

I'm perhaps one of the more libertarian folks on this board. Generally, I'd prefer that everybody be left alone to live their own lives. I'll generally respect the differences of other cultures and religions.

That being said, moral relativism is a pernicious idea. When you start doing this, I no longer respect your right to be different. (Note: It's my understanding that this practice is not necessarily widespread among Islam generally. I certainly hope that's the case.)

(I found the link on NRO...a wonderful resource)


Continue Reading

Posting "Information"

"Information" ???

That's what our head librarian and professor of law calls the Pink Beret propaganda. Look for some more "information" to provide some viewpoint diversity in the near future.


Continue Reading

The Passion

I agree completely with Mark Shea's write-up.


Continue Reading

Week #1

Our blog was viewed 500 times in the past week. Strong.


Continue Reading

Happy Birthday to Ted Geisel

Dr. Seuss would have been 100 today.

My USMA senior thesis was entitled "Seussian Morality" and examined Geisel's place and contributions to children's literature. (not kidding).


Continue Reading

Monday, March 01, 2004

From a Non-Posting Society Girl...

"The parts don't fit..."

I am all about this. I have thought of nothing else since 9pm. I am going to take it up with the SBA, the Deans, and the Librarians. They have, essentially, turned the entire school into a free speech board. If they want to announce an event, fine. Do it. If they want to promote their ideals and agenda, then they have a bulletin board, their carrels, and the free speech board. I have a pro-life sticker on my carrel and Ryan has a pro-life poster on his. I would gladly help post things about the school, if the administration tells me this is appropriate.


Continue Reading

In Today's News from the Left Coast

The California Supreme Court determined today that Catholic Charities of California is not a "religious employer" and as such cannot (under California Law) exclude artificial contraceptive coverage from an employee insurance plan that includes a drug benefit. Filibustered 9th Circuit nominee Janice Rogers Brown filed the lone dissenting opinion.

Never mind that the Catholic Church has constantly condemned artificial contraception as gravely sinful and that the Church conducts its entire social outreach through 501(c)s like Catholic Charities. This court's bright-line distinction between religious charities and churches is wrong on the facts and TERRIBLE policy. Conscientious Catholics will not fund an outreach that provides services that violate Church teachings on the sanctity of life and the dignity of human sexuality. What's at stake? Consider what services Catholic Charities of California provided last year.

News Article here.

Cal. Supreme Court Opinion here.


Continue Reading

Conservative Activism.

Why don't we entertain conservative activism? I would like to post pictures of aborted babies. I would also like to display in large block type statements from abortionists whose procedures have gone off with a hitch, resulting in the birth of live, premature babies who slowly died in wretched agony over many hours while their unformed lungs gasped for air.

I'll also buy aborted babies, still attached to the placenta and in fermaldahyd, from science supply companies. I'll place them in the display case.

Speaking of the display case, has anyone noticed that the BLSA posted a picture every black person of note from the guy who invented peanut butter to the lady who started selling lipstick door to door in the 1930's, but did not post a picture of my favorite Justice Thomas? I guess he doesn't compare to the man who did the obvious and ground up peanuts (that's so different from flour, corn meal, etc.) and the woman who figured out you can sell stuff by going door to door. Or is it just view point discrimination? DJ_Tax



Continue Reading

Conservative activism

Why don't we entertain conservative activism? I would like to post pictures of aborted babies. I would also like to display in large block type statements from abortionists whose procedures have gone off with a hitch, resulting in the birth of live, premature babies who slowly died in wretched agony over many hours while their unformed lungs gasped for air.

I'll also buy aborted babies, still attached to the placenta and in fermaldahyd (spelling?), from science supply companies. I'll place them in the display case under a picture of Patricia Ireland.


Continue Reading

Viewpoint discrimination

Speaking of the display case, has anyone noticed that the BLSA posted a picture every black person of note from the guy who invented peanut butter to the lady who started selling lipstick door to door in the 1930's, but did not post a picture of my favorite Justice Thomas? I guess he doesn't compare to the man who did the obvious and ground up peanuts (that's so different from flour, corn meal, etc., where would we be without this genius because no one else would have figured it out) and the woman who figured out you can sell stuff by going door to door. Or is it just view point discrimination? DJ_Tax


Continue Reading

Gay Propaganda. What the...?

What's up with all the new Pink Beret propaganda? The fliers don't advertise an event and are "approved" to remain up through May 1st.

I guess Gaylaw just wanted to publicize a current events issue that they have a strong opinion on.

I was under the impression that mouthing off with your personal political views was restricted to the free speech board. What happened? Are we to deduce that non-event, semester-long, issue ads of any political/ideological bent may now be plastered throughout the law school?

If so, I'm ready to hang my graphic anti-abortion photos, unabashed proclamations that the Truth is only found in Christianity, condemnation of homosexual acts as twisted perversions, declarations that the NAACP, the NEA, the Teamsters, and the ABA are all leftist terrorist organizations, ... ok, ok, you get the idea.

I still have a really big balance on my print account....and I'm not afraid to use it.

Got Diversity?


Continue Reading

Prof. Alessi on The Passion

This morning in Accounting for Lawyers...

"Did any of you see The Passion this weekend?
Pretty intense stuff...

I think what you bring to it probably determines how you'll like this movie...
If you're like a satan worshiper or something, you're probably not going to like it...
You're guy loses this one."

deep


Continue Reading