Landmark Ruling Enshrines Right to Own Guns - NYTimes.com

UPDATE - July 2nd: D.C. is considering a new law to replace the one the court struck down. They are trying to conform with the Court's ruling. D.C. Council Hears Gun Law Proposal

UPDATE: Jerry Large of the Seattle times has a well-written commentary in today's paper that criticizes the Court's decsion on practical, policy decisions, and a belief that the Constitution was meant to be interpreted in light of changing times and conditions. Check it out here.

Original Post: Not to my suprise, the U.S. Supreme Court, by a narrow majority, declared that the 2nd Amendment protects the right of individuals to own guns for self-defense and recreation. This came about in striking down a Washington D.C. ban on handguns.

The majority opinion in the case, written by Antonin Scalia, does leave a lot of room for "reasonable" restrictions on weapons however, and there is certain to be a lot of litigation in this area in the months and years to come.

Landmark Ruling Enshrines Right to Own Guns - NYTimes.com

UPDATE: Jerry Large of the Seattle times has a well-written commentary in today's paper that criticizes the Court's decsion on practical, policy decisions, and a belief that the Constitution was meant to be interpreted in light of changing times and conditions. Check it out here.

How Lies Live and Grow in the Brain - Op-Ed - NYTimes.com

Why do so many people believe misinformation? There are still people out there that think Saddam Hussein had something to do with the 9/11 attacks (he didn't). Others believe that Obama is a Muslim (he isn't). Back when Mitt Romney was in the race we saw evidence of people believing that the Mormon Church endorses polygamy (it doesn't).

Why do people believe this mis-information. Are they just stupid? A couple of psychologists offer an alternative explanation in a column that has attracted a lot of attention. Check it out.

Op-Ed Contributor - How Lies Live and Grow in the Brain - Op-Ed - NYTimes.com

Gay Marriages in California and other Constitutional News

Same-Sex Marriages Begin in CaliforniaThe Washington PostJune 17, 2008
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., June 16 -- She said, "I do," and she said, "Absolutely." More...

Groups Push to Restore Voting Rights of Virginia FelonsThe Washington PostJune 17, 2008
RICHMOND -- Civic and social organizations are teaming with Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine to try to add thousands of nonviolent offenders to the voting rolls in time for the November election, a move that has angered Republicans who say the effort is designed to help Democratic Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign. More...

Suit Claims Maryland State Police Surveilled Peace ActivistsThe Baltimore Sun, MarylandJune 13, 2008
Jun. 13--The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland is suing the Maryland State Police to get records it believes may show local authorities aided the federal government in spying on peace activists during several annual protests outside the National Security Agency. More...

Bush Administration to Propose Greater Access for DisabledThe Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star, Norfolk, VAJune 16, 2008
By Robert Pear More...

Noose-Hanging Teen Gets Rare PunishmentUnited Press InternationalJune 6, 2008
OVIEDO, Fla., Jun 5, 2008 (UPI via COMTEX) -- A Florida teen found guilty of putting a noose on a black family's property received an unusual sentence requiring him to attend class and study history. More...

NRA's political clout is waning - Los Angeles Times

Interesting article about 2nd Amendment rights in today's Los Angeles Times. Could it be true? The National Rifle Association has been a powerhouse in terms of lobbying and influence in Congress for years. As the Supreme Court is set to announce its decision on the Washington, D.C. gun control case, this article suggests that the NRA is not as powerful as it used to be. While I hope it is true - they have blocked so many sensible gun control measures over the years, the article maintains a big reason they have so much clout is because they have won most of the fights on the issues surrounding 2nd Amerndment rights.

Read on and see what you think:
NRA's political clout is waning - Los Angeles Times

Bush Administration P'wned by Supreme Court

In my classes, we discussed and read about this case when it went to trial back in December. If you don't remember, the case arose from a challenge to the Military Commissions Act, which basically said that inmates detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have no right to challenge their detention in U.S. Courts (only in secretive military tribunals). The act denied them the right to file habeas corpus decisions to challenge their detentions in U.S. Courts.

Bush tried to do this through an executive order earlier in his presidency, but the Court smacked down his plan. Republicans in Congress figured that if the action was sanctioned by an act of Congress, the Court would not see it as giving too much power to the executive branch.

Except for one really important thing.

It still violates the bedrock principles of due process enshrined in our Constitution and that we profess to believe in as a nation. If someone is guilty, we have to have enough faith in our justice system that the truth will prevail. Why not let them make a habeas corpus petition to U.S. Courts? It doesn't mean they are going to be set free. It just means there must be charges and enough evidence to warrant holding a prisoner.

A quote from the majority opinion of the Court written by Justice Anthony Kennedy: "Security depends upon a sophisticated intelligence apparatus and the ability of our Armed Forces to act and to interdict....Security subsists, too, in fidelity to freedom's first principles."

Read more about it:

Guantánamo detainees win right to court review csmonitor.com

Justices Rule Terror Suspects Can Appeal in Civilian Courts

The Republic on a Knife's Edge

Update - 6/14/08
Lots more commentary on the case, known as Boumediene v. Bush, has been appearing all over. Here is some:
A Blow Against Tyranny
Guantanamo detainees have constitutional rights, Supreme Court says
Early Reaction to Boumediene. by legal scholar Marty Lederman
A Victory for the Rule of the Law by Eugene Robinson
Why This Court Keeps Rebuking This President - New York Times

Hillary Endorses Barack

Below is a clip from her speech on Saturday, June 8:

Will her supporters get behind Obama? Should he choose her as his candidate for V.P.? Would they be a "dream ticket" or is there too much bad blood and "drama" that would go along with an Obama-Clinton (and Bill Clinton) ticket? Does he need a new, fresh face to go along with his theme of change? All of the political junkies out there are asking these questions.

Local News | Hundreds of new laws take effect in Washington state | Seattle Times Newspaper

The WA State Legislature adjourned a couple of months ago, but their work will be felt starting this week. Check out: Hundreds of new laws take effect in Washington state.

"Same-sex couples gain dozens of new rights, cougar hunts with dogs are expanded, and authorities will work to track gang activity statewide."

Zimbabwe Leader Has Become Petty Dictator

It is a shame that Robert Mugabe, the man who decades ago led Zimbabwe to independence from European colonialism has become a petty dictator that is jailing political opponents, stealing an election, and violating the rights of untold numbers of people. Here are a few articles on what is going on there:

Zimbabwe halts opposition rallies BBC News - The order came after police briefly detained opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai ahead of a rally in the second largest city of Bulawayo.

Death of an Activist: Zimbabwe opposition campaigner pays with his life for his beliefs

Zimbabwean opposition leader detained again International Herald Tribune

Zimbabwe: Mugabe Attempts to Woo Young Voters AllAfrica.com

Comment on the Presidential Race

Now that Hillary Rodham Clinton has withdrawn from the race, there is all kinds of talk about whether or not she will be Obama's running mate, and discussions of how voters will view the battle between McCain and Obama. There is no doubt that this has been one of the most exciting primary elections in history because, we as a people have stared down some of the most frightening ghosts from our past.

Racism and sexism have been some of the ugliest parts of our shared history, and having a woman and an African-American come this close to the highest office in the land (and probably the most powerful position in the world) is astonishing. The Constitution written by the founding generation would not have allowed Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama to even vote, much less run so successfully for public office.

As someone who has devoted a good part of my life to trying to understand our history and its meaning, it was all too clear, to paraphrase Galileo, that these two candidates were standing on the shoulders of giants. The spirits of Abigail Adams, Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Abraham Lincoln, Booker T. Washington, Susan B. Anthony, W.E.B. DuBois, Alice Paul, Thurgood Marshall, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Bobby Kennedy and so many others are smiling down on our nation right now. So many Americans have been a part of the struggle to fulfill the belief, penned by Jefferson in 1776, that we are all created equal. Our nation was founded upon this ideal over 230 years ago, and for so long, we have struggled to live up to it. So much has happened so quickly in this presidential race that I don't think we have really absorbed the significance of the events that have come to pass in the last year and a half.

There has been a lot of commentary out there about where this campaign will go from here, but not nearly enough time taken to really meditate on how we have gotten here.

Of course, there have been some very thoughtful comments, discussions, and analyses of what we have seen come to pass - have you read or heard any? Have you had conversations or insights from friends, parents, or relatives? Perhaps some original thoughts of your own?

Please share them with us.

Right now I'm going to read Seeing Bobby Kennedy in Barack Obama.

Hung Jury in Jewish Federation Trial

A hung jury is unusual. It only happens when the jury is deadlocked and connot reach a verdict. What happens next is that a mistrial is declared and there is a new trial. In this case the defendent, Naveed Haq, was pleading not guilty by reason of insanity. He was facing 15 criminal charges including aggravated murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, burglary, unlawful imprisonment and hate-crime charges. Due process, justice, etc. are all involved here. Read about it and let me know what you think.

Reports here and here.

World welcomes Obama win

I and many others think that a President Barack Obama is the best equipped individual to repair America's reputation around the world. A president is not only the Commander-in-Chief, but with his powers under Article II of the Constitution to negotiate treaties with other nations, is what political scientists call our "Chief Diplomat". And I think he would be the most effective Chief Diplomat we've had in a long time. Just read the reactions the world is having to his winning the nomination in this article in the Seattle Times, reprinted from the Washington Post - it begins:

"For much of the world, Sen. Barack Obama's victory in the Democratic primaries was a moment to admire the United States, at a time when the nation's image abroad is in tatters."

Read on at : Nation & World World welcomes Obama win Seattle Times Newspaper:

Bill to Cut Carbon Emissions Debated in the Senate

Will this proposal to limit carbon emissions pass the Senate? The odds aren't looking good right now. Bush has threatened a veto, and some Senate Republicans are threatening a filibuster claiming the proposal will cost too much. The Seattle Times had an editorial in favor of the new bill you may want to read.

It's Obama!

Mathematically, it is all over. Obama has all the delegates, plus (as of this writing) about 20 more than he needed to clinch the nomination. Both Senator Clinton and Senator Obama gave speeches to their supporters tonight, and I was moved by the history of all of it.

As I was watching, Hillary and then Barack speak, there were many thoughts and words that I wanted to write; about this being a milestone in American democracy. I was really proud of our country, that centuries of gender and race bias were overcome to allow both of these amazing people reach new hights of leadership. But, alas, now after dinner, discussion, and watching a lot more CNN than I really needed to, I'm too exhausted to write profoundly. Maybe I'll add to this post tomorrow when I've got more energy. (Of course, I'll be in staff meetings most of the day, and those things usually have the effect of crushing my will to live.)

In the meanwhile, you can read the NY Times coverage here: Obama Claims Nomination; First Black Candidate to Lead a Major Party Ticket - NYTimes.com

OH YEAH - I missed McCain's speech tonight. Did any of you see it? I got the impression that he may have taken some shots at Obama that the presumtive Democratic nominee that didn't go over so well with Obama supporters. Let me know if you have heard what that was all about.

I'm so psyched that Obama will be the nominee - and, if young people stay involved, the next president of the United States.

Education | The resegregation of Seattle's schools | Seattle Times Newspaper

Education The resegregation of Seattle's schools Seattle Times Newspaper

A big U.S. Supreme Court decision announced this term struck down a desegregation plan the Seattle Public School District had been using. This report in the Seattle Times discusses how Seattle's schools are much less racially balanced than they were decades ago. (It seems to me the Supreme Court ruling is a minor factor right now - it will probably have more impact next school year.) There is some interesting stuff in this article - including how many parents which there was more racial balance in their kids schools.

WA State GOP: No automatic citizenship for kids born in U.S. to illegal immigrants | Seattle Times Newspaper

Politics State GOP: No automatic citizenship for kids born in U.S. to illegal immigrants Seattle Times Newspaper

This was an interesting development over the weekend at the WA State Republican Convention. It looks like they are going to make a big issue of illegal immigration. I don't think most Washingtonians will like the idea of kids being caught up in the middle of the immigration debate - it could make the Republicans look mean-spirited. However, many people may see it the way the Republicans do. Read the article and see what you think.

Outlook for Clinton - It's almost over

Despite a big victory in Puerto Rico, Hillary Clinton is on the verge of watching her hopes for the Democratic nomination disappear as Obama seems poised to collect the majority of Democratic delegates to the National Convention. The last primaries are Tuesday in Montana and South Dakota. Bloomberg.com: Worldwide