Tag Archives: First Amendment

More Christianist Lies From The Family Research Council

Check out the latest “action alert” from the Family Research Council. Many members of Congress are simply unaware of how dangerous the proposed “hate crimes” law is. FRC Action will warn them that this could lead to simple expressions of religious faith-including sermons and radio broadcasts-being prosecuted as “hate.” Our nation is at a danger point. In 2007, such a …

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School Bans Rainbow Wristbands

The ACLU is on the case, defending a 14 year-old Peoria, Arizona student whose principal won’t let him wear a rainbow wristband. Via press release: “When I asked my son’s principal why he wouldn’t be allowed to wear his wristband to school anymore, he said some teachers found it offensive,” said Natali Quintanilla, mother of the eighth grader whose wristband …

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“Ask God What Your Grade Is”

Los Angeles City College is being sued for religious discrimination after a public speaking professor refused to allow a student to complete his speech in support of traditional marriage. The lawsuit also seeks to overturn university rules on offensive speech by students. A classroom dispute at Los Angeles City College in the emotional aftermath of Proposition 8 has given rise …

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Hate Crime Or Not?

There’s an interesting discussion making the rounds of NYC news blogs regarding what happened at a Jewish wedding reception last week. A 23 year-old Christian-raised cater waiter, who for five years had worked for a catering company that specialized in Jewish weddings, decided to express his sympathy for Palestinians by using the Woodbury Jewish Center’s PA system to broadcast some …

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Wingnuts: Gays Will Silence The Church

Next week Fort Lauderdale-based Coral Ridge Ministries will broadcast a nationwide 30-minute show warning evangelicals that they must fight all hate crimes laws or else the evil gays will criminalize Christianity. Via WingNutDaily: “Hate Crime Laws” is a half-hour exposé that shows how Christians in America, Canada, Australia, and Sweden have been arrested and prosecuted for expressing opinions that are …

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McCain=Bush=No Free Speech

In a PR nightmare for John McCain, a 61 year-old librarian was kicked off of public property in Denver outside of a McCain appearance because she was holding a McCain=Bush sign. After McCain’s goons had the cops remove the tiny woman, the story blew up in the national press and little was heard about McCain’s actual “town hall” speech. Seriously …

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The American Exception

Today the New York Times continues its American Exception series of articles on ways that the American justice system is unique in the world. And with excellent timing (considering Tuesday’s heated conversation on the issue here on JMG), today they discuss freedom of speech in an article titled Freedom To Offend. A couple of years ago, a Canadian magazine published …

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Dangerous Precedent: Canadian Pastor Censored And Fined For Anti-Gay Letters

After publishing a letter to the editor that compared gays to pedophiles and drug dealers, a Canadian pastor has been found guilty of violating human rights laws and must pay $7000 in fines. The pastor must also stop publishing any attacks against gays. A former pastor will appeal a human rights ruling that orders an apology and the payment of …

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ACLU Wins Case Against Florida School

Via press release: PANAMA CITY, FL – After a two-day trial in which a Florida high school principal testified that he believed clothing or stickers featuring rainbows would make students automatically picture gay people having sex, a federal judge today ruled that the school violated students’ First Amendment rights of students. The case was brought by the American Civil Liberties …

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ACLU Opens Case Against Florida School

In a case that I first mentioned here in February, the ACLU has made its opening arguments in its challenge of a Florida high school that prevented a student from wearing items in support of gay rights. A Florida high school is “trampling the First Amendment rights of students who support equal rights for gay people”, a federal judge was …

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University Official Canned For Anti-Gay Column

On April 18th, University of Toledo vice president of human resources Crystal Dixon penned an opinion piece in the Toledo Free Press in which she said: As a Black woman who happens to be an alumnus of the University of Toledo’s Graduate School, an employee and business owner, I take great umbrage at the notion that those choosing the homosexual …

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Ban On Anti-Gay T-Shirt Reversed

Just in time for today’s Day Of Silence: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit reversed a lower court’s ruling against an Illinois student Wednesday, saying the district court must order a Naperville high school to suspend its ban on a T-shirt that reads “Be Happy, Not Gay” while the student’s lawsuit proceeds. School officials prohibited student Alex …

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Anti-Gay Photog Loses Case In New Mexico

Elaine Huguenin, the New Mexico photographer who refused to work a lesbian wedding, has been found guilty of discrimination by the state’s Human Rights Commission and ordered to pay $6600 in attorney fees and court costs. The case has outraged both libertarians and conservatives. From The Volokh Conspiracy : I haven’t seen any written statement of reasons, but the order …

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Lien Placed On Westboro Church, Offices

A federal judge has placed a lien on the church and law offices of the Westboro Baptist Church, as a result of the recent multi-million dollar lawsuit won by the father of an American soldier whose funeral Westboro picketed. If the case presided over by U.S. District Court Judge Richard D. Bennett is upheld by an appeals court, the church, …

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ACLU Sues School Over Free Speech

On behalf of a 16 year-old named Heather Gillman, the ACLU is suing a Florida high school for suppression of free speech. This comes after school officials ruled that any declaration of support for gay rights, such as a rainbow sticker on a notebook or saying “I support gay people” were signs that the students belonged to a “secret/illegal organization.” …

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BREAKING NEWS: Jury Slams
Phelps Clan For $10.9M

The Drudge Report is first with this breaking news: JURY HATES PHELPS: The father of a fallen Marine awarded $2.9 million by jury that found leaders of a fundamentalist church had invaded the family’s privacy when they picketed the Marine’s funeral. Developing… UPDATE: More from the Associated Press. BALTIMORE (AP) — A federal jury on Wednesday awarded the father of …

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Dad Of Dead G.I. Sues Fred Phelps,
First Amendent Cringes

In a case that will test the limits of the First Amendment, the father of a slain U.S. soldier is suing Fred Phelp’s Westboro Baptist Church for picketing his son’s funeral, charging the church with invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress. From the New York Times: Judge Richard D. Bennett, who is hearing the case, told the …

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وي وإلل نت بي سلنت

The ACLU is suing JetBlue and the Transportation Safety Administration on behalf of a man who attempted to board a flight at JFK last year while wearing a t-shirt that read, “We Will Not Be Silent” in both English and Arabic script. Raed Jarrar was told by a TSA official that his shirt “made fellow passengers uncomfortable.” Jarrar say he …

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