We're going to see a lot of 5-4 decisions...

[sleigh]

The NY Times has published an editorial that pretty much sums up my attitude: the truly horrible Bush legacy will be the Supreme Court, a legacy that will last far longer and have far more impact than the wretched Reign of Bush. The Supreme Court is already showing that with its current line-up, and especially with Justice Roberts leading the way, we're heading into radically conservative judicial waters.

Thanks, Supremes, for making certain that we're going to have more Swift Boat garbage during the next election. Thanks, Supremes, for putting a muzzle over the idea of free speech. Thanks, Supremes, for further blurring the distinction between church and state. You hit the trifecta with this sequence of three rulings.

And thanks, GWB, for making it all possible. Your legacy is in place.

What a shame for the country.

Comments

[sleigh.livejournal.com]

The free speech reference refers to the third decision they rendered, not the first. To quote from the editorial:

"Nor did the court’s concern for free speech extend to actually allowing free speech in the oddball case of an Alaska student who was suspended from high school in 2002 after he unfurled a banner reading “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” while the Olympic torch passed. The ruling by Chief Justice Roberts said public officials did not violate the student’s rights by punishing him for words that promote a drug message at an off-campus event. This oblique reference to drugs hardly justifies such mangling of sound precedent and the First Amendment."

I wouldn't have a problem with the ruling had the student been on-campus. But this was an off-campus event, where it seems strange (to me, anyway) that the student's admittedly stupid banner should get him into any kind of trouble at all with his school.

[alces2.livejournal.com]

I agree that I don't understand why unfurling a sign off-campus should get him suspended and I don't understand why the Supreme Court should rule in the school's favor. Stupid banner, yeah, probably. Stupid decision relative to free speech, yes, definitely, IMHO.