Category: U.S. CONSTITUTION

Trump Likes Kim Jong-un: The Singapore Summit and Hanoi Summit in Context
Trump likes dictator Kim Jong-un. It's clear after the Singapore summit last year and the Hanoi summit last week. Kim what Trump wants: dictatorship; the world's biggest military; total control over every person's life; the ability to reward loyalists and send enemies to political prison camps forever. And a cult of personality to die for! ... Read More

Religious Tests, Education, and Freedom of Religion in State Constitutions
Religion in state constitutions often puts them at odds with the U.S. Constitution: the freedom of religion and the separation of church and state as established in the First Amendment. Many have religious tests and no clear statements prohibiting the promotion of religion in public schools ... Read More

Separation of Church and State? Religion in State Constitution Preambles
First there was the U.S. Constitution. The states followed suit, or so you'd think. However, the state constitution preambles show that some of the founders' lofty ideals, like separation of church and state, were not exactly followed ... Read More

The American Revolution Along the Gulf: What Was Independence and For Whom?
The American Revolution: The 13 British colonies rebelled because they resented the taxation without representation. They won the Revolutionary War -- America's new government was the envy of the world. The westward move of the pioneers and the loss of the Native Americans' way of life was inevitable. Right? Independence Lost by Kathleen DuVal sets the record straight ... Read More

Nazi Salute at Baraboo High: Freedom of Speech or History Education?
11-30-2018 Almost all the boys of the 2019 class of Baraboo High in Wisconsin posed for a picture doing the Nazi salute. Do the students have freedom of speech? Did they know what they were doing? If not, why not? ... Read More

Saudi Journalist Jamal Khashoggi Killed by Saudis in Saudi Consulate. So?
A question on the Big No-No Facebook page: A Saudi Citizen was killed by Saudi Arabians on Saudi territory. Saudi Arabia stills cuts off hands of thieves. Why is this a big deal in America? It's a good one. ... Read More

Open Letter to Caitlyn Jenner, About Solidarity With Other Minority Groups
So, Caitlyn Jenner, you were a fervent Trump supporter because he said he would stand up for transgender rights. Now Trump wants to do away with them, and you realize you were wrong ... Read More

A Screeching Mob Holding Illegal Demonstrations? Or Kavanaugh Protesters?
Senators on both sides said at the SCOTUS nomination hearing that demonstrations come with democracy. But Trump & co. portray Kavanaugh protesters as an existential threat ... Read More

Truth, Impartiality, Independence Now Dispensable for Supreme Court and FBI
Values like truth, impartiality and independence are no longer required for Supreme Court justices or for the credibility of the FBI. There's proof that Brett Kavanaugh lied under oath many times; and the president prevented an independent FBI investigation into the sexual assault accusations against him ... Read More

The Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court Confirmation Hearing
Some takeaways from the Supreme Court confirmation hearing of Judge Brett Kavanaugh by the Senate Judiciary Committee ... Read More

Black Incarceration: War on Crime, RDL, Racial Profiling, Stop and Frisk
Mass black incarceration is in large part due to racial profiling--starting with President Johnson's War on Crime, then the RDL and stop and frisk policies in NYC. ... Read More

The Racial Wealth Gap: Two Reports on Income and Asset Disparity
Two recent reports on racial income disparity and asset disparity address various reasons for the racial wealth gap. They look at black education, black housing disparity, black banking and black savings ... Read More

Talking Fascism With Militia and Homeless at Fake Anti-Trump Demonstration
The anti-Trump demonstration was a dud, But I did (try to) chat with a militia guy about fascism, the Constitution, the 2nd Amendment and Antifa, and with two homeless guys about racial disparity and how Nigerians should just shut up ... Read More

Propaganda, Censorship and Other Suppression of Dissent
Book bans are censorship, gag rules are a form of suppression of dissent, and Fox News is a propaganda outlet for Trump. American freedom of speech isn't that great ... Read More

Government Violence, Militias and Intimidation in American History
Trump's calls for aggression seen in America's long history of government violence, government-sanctioned violence and intimidation by militias, KKK and other hate groups ... Read More

American Totalitarianism: Authoritarianism and Christian Dominionism
Both authoritarianism and Christian dominionism are powerful forces in America. Theocracies are among the severest examples of totalitarianism. Will democracy prevent a Christian States of America? ... Read More

Patriotism: NFL Players Kneeling for National Anthem Have American Values
What Is Patriotism? Do the NFL players kneeling during the National Anthem have American Values? Or are they disrespecting the troops? Are they patriots or traitors? ... Read More

After Inauguration Day: Women’s March to Protest Trump a Huge Success
Three million people turned up nationwide for the Women's March the day after Inauguration Day -- the difference between the votes for Trump and Clinton -- to protest Trump's presidency ... Read More

Kim Davis, ISIS and the Syrian Refugees: Theocracy and Religious Freedom
ISIS is fighting for strict Muslim government everywhere. The Syrian refugees are fleeing these groups. However, Kim Davis, in fighting for her 'religious freedom', would want America to be a theocracy, too ... Read More

White Man Kills Nine Black People in Church Shooting in Charleston S.C.
A young white man has killed nine people in a historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina. Several republicans, including some presidential candidates, are saying it wasn't a hate crime ... Read More

Battling Nationalism for Maria Montessori: I Pledge Allegiance to the Earth
The time I stood up for world citizens and battled nationalism and boycotted the Pledge of Allegiance in a Montessori school and won ... sort of, with a lot of help from my imagination ... Read More

Gun Restrictions For People With Mental Health Issues, Like Alex Jones
Piers Morgan tries to chat with Alex Jones about gun rights. The guy has some serious mental health issues (Alex Jones, that is), and if there was ever a case for gun restrictions, this guy is it ... Read More