by The Taliban took “credit” for killing ten medical aid workers in Afghanistan on Saturday. It explained that it did so because the workers were promoting Christianity among the people whom they helped. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton responded that we “condemn the Taliban’s transparent attempt to justify the unjustifiable by making false accusations about these [...]
Read the full postMonthly Archive for August, 2010
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by I was out of town last week, so I just now had the chance to sit down and read Perry v. Schwarzenegger. A few initial reactions: First, what were the Prop 8 proponents’ counsel thinking in only putting on two experts, neither of whom strike me as especially strong under Daubert/Kumho Tire? To be clear, I think David Blankenhorn is a very thoughtful writer and effective advocate, but that doesn’t make him a good choice as a testifying expert witness. More broadly, if constitutional litigation is a battle of public policy arguments (and I’m not saying it should be), this one was no contest.
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by I have a friend named Bill who doesn’t have much education but who is a bit of a thinker nonetheless. This morning I ran into Bill, and he seemed pretty agitated. “What’s the problem?” I asked. “Well, Professor,” Bill said, “the news this week has got me upset. It seems that because the people don’t want [...]
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by The most troubling aspect of Judge Walker’s opinion may be paragraph 77 of his factual findings: “Religious beliefs that gay and lesbian relationships are sinful . . . harm gays and lesbians.” Paragraph 77 lists 18 findings in support of this proposition, including 77(i) – (p), which identify statements by Catholic and Orthodox Church bodies, as well as by [...]
Read the full post“Have you read Judge Walker’s opinion? Can you explain it to me?” A non-lawyer friend was calling, mid-afternoon, to ask about Judge Vaughn Walker’s decision today invalidating California’s Proposition 8, which had banned same-sex marriage. “No, I haven’t read it,” I said. “I hadn’t even heard that the decision had been announced. But I knew [...]
Read the full postA wide range of Christian churches in Kenya have issued a joint statement opposing Kenya’s proposed new Constitution, which is being voted on in a referendum on August 5. They argue that the new Constitution would expand abortion rights, and they oppose provisions that would allow Muslims to use khadi courts “for matters such as law relating [...]
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by Rav Kook, a late nineteenth and early twentieth century Jewish thinker, is one of the few recent Jewish thinkers to have a significant influence on Jewish religious perspectives from right to left. Although he is a well-known name only in the Orthodox Jewish world — or in Israel where his son is an icon of [...]
Read the full postVideo of beautiful religious teaching from a secular source — Mayor Bloomberg on the Islamic Center near Ground Zero. Also features Catholic Priest who was a first responder, as well as Rabbi and Imam. h/t to one of my students.
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