Reminder of TX v. Johnson

This week, a student has been considering filing a lawsuit against a teacher who placed his Mexican flag in the trash can on Cinco de Mayo. Facts seem to be a little wishy washy on both sides due to the student's lack of proficiency in Engilsh, but none the less his flag was physically placed into a garbage can by his p.e. teacher on a very special day. The teacher claims it was for school safety because of racial tension on campus and that he had no where else to place it. Yet again, we're back to our good 'ol list of cases that Mr. Silton has given us. Should different laws apply on school grounds? Or does high school violence give enough of a cause to limit carrying a flag around campus on a holiday, and therefore allow this teacher to take away his flag?

I know TX v. Johnson had to do with United States flag burning, but if we can't burn a flag, are we allowed to throw it away? To me, it seems like the same meaning in slightly different form. Yes, burning the flag is slightly more dramatic, but throwing it out is equally degrading to the meaning. Similarly, in a country built on freedom of almost anything possible and respecting the differences between people, should we be able to degrade OTHER flags in a country built upon citizens from all over the world?

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College Drug Bust

About 100 people, 75 of which were students, were arrested in an undercover drug sting at San Diego State University today. This investigation was initiated by campus police after a student's fatal overdose a year ago. Officials claim to have confiscated more than $100,000 worth of drugs in "Operation Sudden Fall," including four pounds of cocaine, 50 pounds of marijuana and 350 ecstasy pills. They also took one shotgun, three semiautomatic pistols and $60,000. Among those arrested were students majoring in homeland security and in criminal justice, one even worked under campus police as a student community service officer. In addition to facing criminal charges, the students are also suspended from SDSU and have been evicted from their housing. How could colleges prevent these kind of "mid-level distributors" who sell more than someone might buy for personal use? Should colleges take these extreme measures in order to limit their students' drug use? Was this an appropriate way to handle the situation?

Drunken Pirate Loses Her Teaching Credential

Miss Stacy Snyder, who is 27, has lost her teaching credential from Millersville University because the administration caught wind of drunken pictures of herself on Myspace. She will not be able to get her credential now because of a picture of her in a pirate hat drinking from a Goodbar Cup with a caption that reads "drunken pirate" and her favorite activity was listed as "dancing like an a**hole." The University also said that she would not have received it anyways because she had "unsatisfactory performance" and "unprofessional behaviour." Her father, however, claims that, "I don't think its fair...She could have been a good teacher."
Does her behaviour really warrant a withdrawl of her teaching credential? Becoming a teacher includes making changes in your life so that you become a role model and do not encourage questionable behaviour.She was young, however, and had not graduated yet, so is this an extreme example? Lots of college students have pictures of themselves partying on myspace, so was it just bad luck that she got caught? How justified is the school's reaction?

http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=4791295&page=1

True-Life: What To Do About Criminal Pirates

Like the stories of pirate-hood in Pirates of the Carribean, recent boaters in the Atlantic have come upon violent men with money symbols in their eyes. Recently, Colin Darch was faced with such a problem. "With boats on each flank and almost 20 pirates armed with AK-47s, he and his five crew members would not escape. The pirates rushed aboard, firing their weapons into the air and ordering the crew to lie down". This mariner and his crew were quite lucky, it only took them six weeks to come up with $700,000. Unlike the 1700s, these modern-day pirates are now holding men for ransoms as large as 1.2 million dollars for a small crew. Maybe it's just me, but I always thought that this pirate idea was a crime of 3 centuries ago when people still believed the world was flat and had an end! Little did I know, the navy has been monitoring the waters off the East Coast of Africa for the five past years because of the increase in such water-crime. "The Navy works with France, the Netherlands, Britain and Pakistan in what is known as Combined Task Force 150, a maritime coalition that has taken on additional anti-piracy roles around Somalia" and keeps a warship present! Especially living where we're blessed to live, it's funny to think that such primitive ways of life still exist at all. Maybe I live in some cardboard box, but who knew Johnny Depp could have actually done a true-life interview to get to the core of his gold-loving, boat-taking character over the past two years. How else should the U.S. be involved in this open water crime? Or should we be involved at all when we have a war-focus elsewhere?

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Spiritual Attack or Medical Misjudging?

In Weston,Wisconsin an 11 year old girl suffered from diabetic ketoacidosis. However, Her family refused to even take her to a doctor for a diagnosis. They believed that the sickness was a "test of faith" and that the young girl would quickly recover after a week or so after some "emergency prayer". She appeared to be weaker and slower for about two weeks before her death, which was ironically on Easter Sunday, and may have shown milder symptoms for up to two months before. The parents believed that it was just signs of puberty and that faith would heal her. Both the mother and the father are being tried for second-degree reckless homicide.
First of all, I would like to say wow. I am a Christian, but this seems extreme to me. This girl lost her life because she wasn't even given a chance to see a doctor. God is a healer, but completely relying on His power for medical treatment seems very Old Testament. I think that the parents really misjudged this. Diabetes is exactly what scientists are working on healing, and making progress. Why not take advantage? What do all of you guys think?

Bush's "Misson Accomplished" Sign has Fith Anneversary

Five years ago, after President Bush made a dramatic entrance on an aircraft carrier, he claimed that "Major combat operations have ended" and, "The battle of Iraq is one victory in a war on terror that began on Sept. 11, and still goes on." Behind his a giant "Mission Accomplished" banner was ever so proudly displayed. While the press had a field day making his sign the but of every joke, his press secretary claimed that, "President Bush is well aware that the banner should have much mire specific."
Tomorrow will the the fifth anniversary of this symbolic failure of a sign. It will always be a symbol of Bush's cockiness, however. It seems like too much of a coincidence to a legitimate mistake to me. Although it is not that important, the press will still ridicule him for it. Is it worth making such a bid deal out of? It is funny, but shouldn't something like this just be overlooked? Or are we all just tired of Bush, if no the entire conflict in Iraq in general?

http://www.comcast.net/news/articles/general/2008/04/30/Bush.Mission.Accomplished/

Now Obama is Outraged by Former Pastor's Comments

Within the past few weeks, Rev. Jeremiah Wright has become a frenzy in the media. Formerly, he has claimed that the U.S created the HIV virus to exterminate minority races. This obviously has caused some outrage. But at the time Obama only denounced what the Reverend said, not the man himself. Now, however, when the Indiana and North Carolina primaries are nearing does he show complete outrage by the Reverends actions. Obama is now saying that, "His comments were not only divisive and destructive, I believe they end up giving comfort to those who pray on hate," Rev Wright also claims that "If Senator Obama did not say what he said, he would never get elected," and, "Politicians say what they say and do what they do based on electability, based on sound bites, based on polls."
Is the pastor hinting that Obama secretly complies with his own beliefs, or is he just denouncing politics in general? Obama has stated that "He is not the same man I met 20 years ago" and claims to hardly relate to his beliefs. Is Obama just making up for lost votes by suddenly becoming outraged? It seems to me that he should have dealt with it more harsh when he actually made the comment. Doesn't it seem strange that now, when its time for the primaries, that he is so outraged? Is his sudden change of heart going to win him any votes? What do you guys think?