The American urge to punish

In a NYT article on the Supremes, I found this: (bolding is mine)

The 5-to-4 decision rejected a claim by three death-row inmates that use of the sedative midazolam would put them at risk of severe pain. It also ruled preposterously that in order to succeed the inmates had to show that there is an alternative manner of execution that is significantly less painful but readily available.

Uh, heroin? It's available on every street corner and would send these inmates out peacefully. The sad truth is that America wants painful deaths for its condemned inmates -- and I find that sickening. 

(I also believe the American tendency to be vicious whenever possible is rooted in religious beliefs. But that's another post for another day.)

Kinda makes you want to rush out and get gay-married

We won, kids. The decision just came down a few minutes ago.

WASHINGTON — In a long-sought victory for the gay rights movement, the Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the Constitution guarantees a nationwide right to same-sex marriage.

Go celebrate -- and then enjoy the view as wingnut heads explode across the nation. I think of the latter as the after-party.

Woohoo! We're equal under the law.

One last post with a Satanic theme

This will make three posts in a row about Satan. Kinda fun, leading into Sunday, and all.

Remember the recent insane Town of Greece v. Galloway ruling from the Supreme Court? The one that said it's just fine and dandy to open up secular state meetings with prayer? Yes, we have nitwits on the Supreme Court. (Reality check: these are the same people who think corporations are people. They have a tenuous and faltering grip on reality.)

On the heels of this stunningly idiotic, un-American decision, a Satanist has asked to open a meeting in Florida with a Satanic prayer. Be careful what you wish for, my wingnut friends.

“I just want equal billing. We allow various religious nutjobs to give a prayer. They pray to Jesus who is make-believe, god who is make-believe, why not Satan who is make-believe?”

“Why discriminate against one make-believe god over another?” he continued.

That's really what's at the heart of all this, folks: make believe. I hope he gets a chance to offer the prayer. Hopefully someone will record the reaction among the pious attendees and share it on YouTube. Fun!

Supreme Court abolishes the Fifth Amendment

It's depressing. We have a wingnut "supreme" court that has no idea what it's like to be a normal, non-privileged American. All their friends are rich, so that's the only group they consider in their decisions.

To make a long story short, they decided that if the police take you down to the station house and question you -- without arresting you -- and you "remain silent" in response to questions, your silence can be used against you! Duh. This is the exact opposite of the Miranda rights. I can't imagine a more un-American decision. Do the justices even live in this country?

In light of this appalling decision, I assume that requesting an attorney before being questioned will be a defendant's only "right". But to instantiate this right, the person would have to know enough to claim it -- and that would require an awareness most defendants don't possess. Due to financial circumstances, poor people tend not to be well-educated, so it's absurd to expect them to know what to do in these situations. And most immigrants, particularly recent arrivals, will also be unaware of their rights.

So the police will know these facts while the victim defendant does not. The officers will have the upper hand at all times and will hold off on arresting a suspect, hoping he will "go silent". And then they can do whatever the hell they want to him.

America. Land of opportunity. This is so sad.

Supreme Court issues un-American decision

WASHINGTON — A divided Supreme Court says police can legally take DNA without a warrant from those arrested in hopes of using it to solve old cases. 

It's not shocking that the current, foolish crew of Supreme Court justices would issue such an un-American decision. The founding fathers would be horrified.

Understand that this applies to people who are merely arrested. This means the police will arrest every person of color they see, just so they can enter the person's DNA into the system. This is not the sort of thing the United States should stand for, never mind instill into law. Yet these strange, elected creatures think it's fine. 

For interest's sake, note how the issue was viewed by our stalwart swing voter -- the man who is America's last hope against rule by the gibbering mob:

Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the Supreme Court, called DNA cheek swabs "a legitimate police booking procedure" like fingerprinting or photographing.

Long ago, the world admired the United States Supreme Court. That is no longer the case.

Will Justice Kennedy wimp out?

Yesterday's activities at the Supreme Court seemed to revolve around Justice Anthony Kennedy. We know how the others will vote; Kennedy's the wild card. 

Though many reporters seem to think he'll toss the case aside for lack of standing, or because he is hesitant to toss "2,000 years of history or more", I prefer to focus on the following remarks made by Kennedy:

"There are some 40,000 children in California, according to the Red Brief, that live with same-sex parents, and they want their parents to have full recognition and full status.

"The voice of those children is important in this case, don't you think?"

Yes, it is. And he understands that. It's our only hope.

Justices in a sensible mood?

As I try to ignore the fact that the Supreme Court has a strangle-hold on gay marriage today, this news comes out of the court:

The Supreme Court says police using a dog to sniff outside a Miami-area house being used to grow marijuana violated the homeowner's constitutional rights.

Could it be that they're in a sensible mood? Or are they trying to get sensibility out of their system so they can go wild as they attack gay marriage? BTW, Alito isn't happy with this decision.

Justice Samuel Alito wrote the dissent, saying police did not trespass on the property by coming up to the front door with the dog. Alito also said people cannot expect that odors will not make it outside a house, where they can be detected by dogs. 

Have you ever looked at Alito? There is fear in his eyes at all times. The message his facial expression sends to me is, "I know I'm scum and don't deserve to be in this position." The guy has no confidence. None. He's like an adolescent -- and dangerous for that very reason.

Supremes take on gay marriage

I won't be writing much about the Supreme Court's decision regarding gay marriage this week.

Yes, what they decide can affect us greatly. But these "justices" have no authority to say anything about our right to marry, about my right to marry. I don't respect them and I don't care what they think or say or do.

We will marry. That's a fact. What goes down at some dimwit court has little bearing on this, in the long run. As far as I'm concerned, they can do whatever the hell they want.

I am aggravated rather than interested. I feel distaste rather than a hunger for justice. And I am appalled that in the year 2013, someone thinks they can say anything about my marriage.

Supreme Court tries to touch me

When yesterday's news came out about SCOTUS' intention to consider gay marriage, I felt anger. I always have this reaction when strangers think they have have a right to say anything about my life and my rights.

I won't go into a big harangue here. But how is this different from the U.A.E. making decisions about what women can and can't do? No one has the slightest right to tell anyone else how to live his or her life. If you're not harming others, you're free to engage in any action you choose. This is the basis of human life.

Honestly, I get sick each time this comes up.

Our super-smart Supreme Court justices

Trying to defend the court's outlandish and un-American decision to extend First Amendment rights to corporations, Sam Alito showed how little he understands this country.

Alito rattled off the names of the nation's leading newspapers and television networks, all owned by corporations and possessing acknowledged rights to print and say what they wish about politics and government.

"The question is whether speech that goes to the very heart of government should be limited to certain preferred corporations; namely, media corporations," he said. "Surely the idea that the First Amendment protects only certain privileged voices should be disturbing to anybody who believes in free speech." 

The man doesn't see a difference between media and non-media corporations! It's like he's never lived in this country and simply studied it from afar by reading rightwing newspapers. Journalism doesn't exist in the world Alito inhabits. Can you believe how far the court has fallen? People used to respect the Supremes. Now they laugh at them.

Remember when the US Supreme Court used to inspire respect?

AP -- Bucking the Obama administration, Supreme Court justices seemed to find little trouble Wednesday with major parts of Arizona's tough immigration law that require police to check the legal status of people they stop for other reasons.