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| Birthdays are Overated |
| 06.28.07 (7:15 am) [edit] |
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I took this week off. No special reason, just had a lot going on. I got my trucked serviced, picked up two different daughters from the airport, and have another home game for the Alaska Wild. Sandwiched in there somewhere was my birthday.
I was gonna go camping with my son, but he ended up getting a summer job and started this week. Oh well, it rained over a half an inch the day we were gonna go.
My daughters baked a cake, but I told them "no candles", I didn't want a campfire.
So the week is almost over and all I've got to show for it is some of my chores are done. My yard is looking pretty good. My kids have been getting shuffled around to various jobs, and my truck is serviced.
It finally warmed up (and dried up) to seventy degrees yesterday. So since noone else was around, I took off on a nice motorcycle ride. Only about seventy miles, but without any painkillers it was enough.
Motorcycling is still my favorite hobby, even though I don't seem to get to go that often. Something always seems to come up.
Yeah, another year come and gone. Maybe next summer I'll ride my bike down the Alcan. That is if something else doesn't come up.
Later
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| Bong Hits for Jesus Ruling |
| 06.26.07 (9:26 am) [edit] |
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The Supreme Court finally issued its ruling on this freedom of speech case. I must admit that even I am surprised at their decision. Let’s break it down. First, the Justices decided that the parade was indeed a school sanctioned event. The students were let out of school to witness the parade. This decision is questionable to me. Second, though it was vague, the Justices ruled that the banner could be interpreted as promoting drug use. I tend to agree with this portion of the ruling. Even though the kid said that was not his intent, the Justices saw through his lies. Third, the Court reversed the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal’s (again) decision that the principal could be held personably liable in her actions. This is one portion of the decision that I whole heartedly agree with. You just can’t have public officials running scared when they enforce policy, worried about being personally sued. Their job is to enforce the policies handed down by the school board. If they stray from the policy then it’s another issue. But clearly in this case the woman did nothing wrong. Fourth, and finally, the Court basically said that as a student, you check some (not all) of your freedoms at the school house door in terms of the administration’s ability to maintain order and a constructive learning environment. Again, I don’t have a problem with this either.
My first knee jerk reaction to this case was to toss the brat out on his ear. He clearly misrepresented himself in front of the courts as to his original intentions. This was merely a stunt to shock people with a stupid banner that got turned into a freedom of speech case once the ACLU got a hold of it. So in that regard, I’m glad the Court slapped the ACLU on its wrists. But I am still leaning toward the kid and the ACLU on the issue of where it occurred. He was clearly not on school property, and not under school supervision (in my opinion). So I’m still a little on the fence in this situation. But, I support the Court’s decision and thought they explained it well.
To me, the real importance of this case was two fold. One is to support a public employee who was simply enforcing public policy. And two was to send a message to punks like him that, yeah, you have freedom of speech, but even that is taken too far when it promotes drug use during a school activity.
A tough issue that I think was fairly resolved. And once again, the 9nth Circuit got slapped around! Hahahahaha.
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| Still Waiting on Decision |
| 06.07.07 (9:32 am) [edit] |
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We are still waiting on the Supreme Court decision on the "bong hits for Jesus" case. As you remember, the plaintiff contends his free speech right was impeded. The kid had hung a banner that said "bong hits for Jesus" during a parade of the Olympic torch through the town of Juneau. He was then disciplined by the high school principle and suspended.
The boy and his father appealed the suspension but the principle was backed up by first the superintendent, then the City Counsel, and finally the District Court. The 9nth Circuit Court of Appeals then overturned the decision and here we are.
I wrote and spoke out against the kid and railed him for changing his motive for the banner. I believe that once the lawyers got involved, his story changed to his wanting to test the boundries of his free speech. I garrauntee that his original intentions had NOTHING to do with free speech, and had everything to do with trying to drop jaws and raise eyebrows.
Now as I've had time to digest the news stories and cool off from my anger against this weasel, I have to admit that I'm doing an about face on this case. Much as I dislike the boy and his father, I have to side with them in terms of the wrongful suspension. I do not support, however, the monetary claim part of their suit. And I especially don't support any monetary damage against the principle, which is what they are seeking. She was doing her job and making decisions she believed to be in the best interest of the school and the public. Decisions that I might remind you were supported all the way up to the District Judge.
But the seeking of monetary damages is right on par with these two morons who actually now live in China. "Hey assholes, let's see you hang a banner like that in Hong Kong and cry about your rights!"
When the verdict is announced I hope that it supports the right of free speech, but does not award a single penny to these two crooks. That would be justice.
Later
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