Blog Feed: Islandlaw Constitutional Rights Pages

Life, Liberty, And the Pursuit of Oreos

Published on 2011-05-30 03:00:59

Last week the Illinois Senate soundly defeated a proposal to ban trans fats in foods.  The bill failed by a vote of 40-13, due in part to the hard work of the doughnut caucus. Senator Mike Jacobs lamented the loss of his old trans fat filled Oreos, > read more

Hundred Mile Wide Borders

Published on 2011-05-25 03:00:22

Our hundred mile wide borders are a constitution free zone. At least according to the ACLU. I recently re-read their 2008  Fact Sheet on what it describes as the U.S. “Constitution Free Zone.” The United States government defines our bor > read more

States Challenge TSA Pat Downs

Published on 2011-05-23 03:00:59

States throughout the nation are beginning to challenge TSA pat down searches in the wake of some controversial incidents. The Texas legislature has proposed legislation that would ban Transportation Security Administration agents from performing sea > read more

The Privacy of Your Own Home? Think Again

Published on 2011-05-18 03:00:38

The Supreme Court has eroded a citizen’s right to privacy in his or her own home with its decision in Kentucky v. King. The court ruled that police who smell marijuana at your door may kick your door down if they think you might be destroying > read more

Sexting And The First Amendment

Published on 2011-05-16 03:00:49

Is there a first amendment right to engage in sexting with your friends?  For purposes of this post, sexting is defined as “the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photographs, primarily between mobile phones.” There is no issue > read more

Killing Bin Laden Was Constitutional, And The Right Thing To Do

Published on 2011-05-09 03:00:33

Barack Obama’s decision to kill Osama Bin Laden was constitutional. There is no doubt about it.  As Attorney General Jeffrey Holder stated on Wednesday,  Bin Laden “was the head of al Qaeda, an organization that had conducted the attack > read more

Mosque Files Religious Freedom Lawsuit In New Jersey

Published on 2011-05-04 09:21:05

The Al Falah Center has filed a lawsuit in Federal District court accusing Bridgewater Township, New Jersey of denying its constitutionally guaranteed rights to religious freedom. According to a press release issued by the Asian American Legal Defens > read more

Probation Officer Guilty Of Sexual Abuse

Published on 2011-05-01 23:00:50

U.S. Probation Officer Mark John Walker has pleaded guilty to violating the constitutional rights of female offenders under his direct supervision by engaging in sexual contact and aggravated sexual abuse. Details of the case were the subject of an F > read more

Supreme Court Justice Thomas Johnson

Published on 2011-04-28 14:40:42

Supreme Court Justice Thomas Johnson was appointed to the Court by George Washington in 1791 to fill the seat left vacant when Justice John Rutledge resigned. He reluctantly accepted this appointment from Washington, who was a close friend and collea > read more

How Private Are Our Cell Phones?

Published on 2011-04-25 03:00:33

How private are our cell phones? The short answer: not very. It’s no secret that using wireless devices of any kind, including cell phones, compromises your privacy.  The Enhanced 911 Act was passed way back in 1999.  Hackers, internet market > read more

Obama Follows Bush’s Lead Once Again

Published on 2011-04-20 03:00:50

“We’re not going to use signing statements as a way of doing an end run around Congress” Candidate Barack Obama, 2008 “On second thought…..” President Barack Obama, 2011 I know this will not come as a shock to anyone by no > read more

Supreme Court Justice James Iredell

Published on 2011-04-18 03:00:08

Supreme Court Justice James Iredell was nominated as an associate justice to the first United States Supreme Court by George Washington on February 10, 1990. He was confirmed by the United States Senate two days later. He was just 38 years old,the yo > read more

Supreme Court Justice John Blair

Published on 2011-04-11 03:00:16

Supreme Court Justice John Blair was born in Williamsburg, Virginia in 1732.  Blair attended William and Mary College, which was founded by his great uncle, James Blair. After graduating, he studied law in London. Upon his return to Virginia he set > read more

Eric Holder’s Disingenuous Whine

Published on 2011-04-06 03:00:59

Eric Holder finally pulled the plug on civilian criminal trials for Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, but not before blaming Congress for forcing his hand. He can try to scapegoat Congress, but the fault lies squarely with Mr. Holder and the administration for > read more

Supreme Court Justice James Wilson

Published on 2011-04-01 03:00:33

James Wilson was nominated by George Washington to serve as an Associate Justice on the First United States Supreme Court, and was confirmed by the Senate on September 26,1789.  Like John Rutledge, he had asked President Washington to be appointed > read more

Was Obama’s Kinetic Military Action in Libya Constitutional Or Not?

Published on 2011-03-29 10:01:45

Was Obama’s “Kinetic Military Action” in Libya Constitutional Or Not? Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution grants Congress the power to declare war. Former constitutional law professor Barack Obama made this statem > read more

Four Reasons To Defend WikiLeaks

Published on 2010-12-08 03:00:38

Here are four reasons to defend WikiLeaks: 1. If  Newt Gingrich, , Dianne Feinstein, Peter King, Joe Lieberman, Charles Schumer, Joy Behar,Condoleeza Rice and Whoopi Goldberg all agree that Julian Assange is a terrorist, I’m forced to take th > read more

Don’t Shoot The Messenger

Published on 2010-12-06 03:00:29

Here’s Robert Gibbs on the Wikileaks disclosures: “such disclosures put at risk our diplomats, intelligence professionals, and people around the world who come to the United States for assistance in promoting democracy and open government > read more

U.S. Considering Espionage Charges Against Wikileaks Founder

Published on 2010-12-01 03:00:16

The U.S. Justice Department may bring espionage charges against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.  Attorney General Eric Holder announced that there is an “active,ongoing criminal investigation,” according to the Washington Post. I don&# > read more

Supreme Court Justice William Cushing

Published on 2010-11-29 03:00:56

William Cushing was born in Scituate, Massachusetts on March 1, 1732. Coming from a long line of attorneys, he graduated from Harvard and was admitted to the Boston Bar a few years later. It appears he was not very successful in private practice. His > read more

Thanksgiving’s Little Constitutional Controversy

Published on 2010-11-24 03:00:37

Tomorrow Thanksgiving will be celebrated across the United States. Traditionally, it is a time to give thanks for the harvest and express our thanks for our good fortune. The question is to express thanks to whom? There really is no doubt that this i > read more

Is Jay Rockefeller As Dumb As He Sounds?

Published on 2010-11-22 03:00:35

I mean this as a serious question. Did Jay Rockefeller mean what he said last week, or was he simply engaging in silly demagoguery? Or perhaps was he shilling for one of his family foundation’s favorite beneficiaries by attacking its competitor > read more

Supreme Court Justice John Rutledge

Published on 2010-11-19 03:00:00

John Rutledge served as First Associate Justice of the first U.S. Supreme Court and was the Court’s second Chief Justice. He was born in 1739 in South Carolina, where he became a successful lawyer as a young man. He quickly became a prominent m > read more

Jefferson’s Letter Creating a Wall Of Separation Between Liberals and Conservatives

Published on 2010-11-17 03:00:07

Now that the election is over I’m going to try to get to the bottom of the whole Christine O’Donnell debate controversy involving the First Amendment’s establishment clause.  Liberal media pundits excoriated her for being a fool, a > read more

New York City Considers Banning Lewd,Rude,Crude Speech

Published on 2010-11-15 03:00:54

New York City may try to ban lewd,rude, crude come-ons from strangers in public places. This is an age-old problem for women that may now be regulated through legislation. A City Council committee heard testimony a couple of weeks ago from women who > read more

John Jay-The First U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice

Published on 2010-11-12 03:00:20

George Washington nominated John Jay as the first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court on September 24,1789. He served until his resignation in 1795, after having been elected Governor of New York. It would be inconceivable today for a Chief Justi > read more