The judge's opinion is just that -- an opinion. In the sense of the ancient Greek term, doxa, which must be contrasted with another Greek term, episteme. The latter refers to truthful knowledge. The former, to whatever the spirit of the age thinks "the truth" is.
Regarding the opinion itself, I think Judge Jones should have spent a little more time analyzing the constitutional requirements before rendering it.
But I gather he was just too busy imagining himself as the great presider over the Second Coming of the Scopes trial. FWIW.
Again, Patrick -- do you want a rule of law that is equal for all, or do you prefer a rule of men -- provided they think like you do?
"Any judge will tell you that they welcome the opportunity to have important cases on their dockets," he said in an interview. "That's why they take these jobs."
Spoken like a true defender of science and proponent of Constitutional law.
Excuse please, my dear Betty, for interjecting here, but besides providing yet another opportunity for the rule of men over the rule of law, each one of these cases also furnish a further excuse for the penetration of federal jurisdiction into what should be a pursuit of local affairs, accompanied by the inevitable assertion of greater federal authority.
We can not trust government, even local government, to impart knowledge to its patrons. Ultimately, government will teach its subjects (for that is what its patrons will become - subjects) what is in the best interest of government for them to know, rather than what is in their own best interest to know. Frequent and vehement laments on this forum, from all sides, is eloquent testimony to the truth of this claim (the factualness of the claim, for those who insist).
The harm doesn’t end there. The idea of government by the consent of the governed is likewise weakened.
The solution to this problem is obvious . . . and apparently largely unwelcome. The reward for some number of us who have proposed the solution, has been to be mostly ignored; occasionally disputed. Presumably, the majority of this forum, on all sides, prefer the issue and the argument. This is not an altogether abominable development. Illumination is cast, at least, on some ancillary issues.