Scalia Attacks ‘Living Document’ Interpretations of Constitution.

Ole Miss Website ^ | 4/11/03 | Angela Moore

[demkicker]

"There are several important cases in front of the court right now," said Amy Clukey, president of UM's NOW and a senior from Deltona, Fla. "Sodomy laws, affirmative action at the University of Michigan, and of course, abortion rights are always an issue."

Amy thinks it is important for one to have one's anus probed.

Amy thinks educational merit doesn't matter and that it is the color of one's skin or ethnic heritage that should decide who gets into schools.

Amy thinks it is fine to brutally take the life of the most innocent and defensless.

Ask me if I care what Amy thinks.

[eno_]

Vices are a matter of adult choice. Buggery might not be the most important unenumerated right, but you will benefit far more by granting buggers their privacy than by going the other way. Abortion is a legitimate matter of state protection of innocents without a voice in a choice about their lives. "Affimative action" is an abomination.

[eno_]

Asa is now our head Drug Warrior. Better than Barry McCaffery, but only because we can count on him to stay onside when we take away DEA resources to fight terror.

[wolf6656]

"The Constitution should be open to new, more progressive interpretations, rather than sticking with one neanderthal view, IMHO."
"It is, it's called the amendment process. Smart fellows those founding fathers, they anticipated living, breathing, leftist jurists who know better than the rest of us."


DING,DING,DING,DING,DING!!!!!!
Give that person a cupie doll!
Thread over, jwalsh you have the final word.

[patton]

"No man is secure in his life, his liberty, or his property, when the legislature is in session."

...Thos. Jefferson

[dixie sass]

Oh yes, this is a lecture that I would love to have attended. Oh my!

[Eala]

Ole Miss. My great-grandfather was on their faculty. He'd be spinning in his grave were he to see what goes on there now, as evidenced by this shabbily thought-out "opinion column.".

[jwalsh07]

I take it up, you appear to be uneducable. The Congress does not interpret the Constitution, the Judiciary branch does that. The Executive executed the laws.

Three branches of government with checks and balances. A constitutional republic if we can keep it. It's all the rage, open a book.

[inquest]

The Constitution is not set in stone.

Until it's amended properly, it most certainly is. Where do you get the idea that it's meaning can be made to change over time? That defeats the purpose of having a written constitution.

[Smedley]

Wasn't the Constitution written when African Americans were regarded as subhuman?

Actually, yes, but the Constitution was amended to remedy those race issues -- Read 13th and 14th Amendments.

The Constitution should be open to new, more progressive interpretations, rather than sticking with one neanderthal view, IMHO.

Well, either words mean things or they don't.

If the Constitution is to be regarded as whatever 5 of 9 justices feel that day, then NO ONES rights are assured.

On the other hand, if we interpret a document based upon a fair reading of its original meaning, then our rights aren't subject to the latest PC fads.

Hey, the Framers put in a process to change the Constitution. I'd rather the Constitution be changed by Constituinal convention than by the whims of Judicial fiat.

By the way, a "neanderthal view" is one where our individual rights are subject to the whims of judges, rather than the rule of law.

[Wilhelm Tell]

They only want the Constitution to be "living" so they can kill it. In totalitarian countries, a word can mean one thing today and something different tomorrow and you had better follow the party line to get the current interpretation. Likewise, a law can be "interpreted" to mean one thing one day and something else another day -- it all depends on the shifting sands of political fortunes and many people have died from being caught in the middle or not adjusting in time. Strangely, the plainest of words like "Congress shall make no law" or "inalienable rights" cause our reformers endless confusion. Those who come after the reformers have paved the way will speak very plainly. They will utter words like, "Citizen 'X' is an Enemy of the People. Kill him." Then everyone will understand everything.

[bourbon]

as usual, you bring up some excellent points.

I'll make sure to read this decision sometime soon and let you know what I think.

Although I can't promise I'll offer up any solid insights, much less any interpretations that would merit being received "humbly" by the great warddady! :-)

[Smedley]

Strangely, the plainest of words like "Congress shall make no law" or "inalienable rights" cause our reformers endless confusion.

Yes, there are some who would twist the plain language of the Constitution until it howls in agony.

In the last election, New Jersey was suprised when 47 days didn't mean 47 days after "the Torch" bailed. In 2000, I was fascinated to learn that deadlines clearly set forth by Florida Legislators could be reconstrued to mean whatever the Florida Supreme Court said. I was further fascinated to learn that the deadlines that the Florida Supreme Court made up were equally meaningless if the Florida Supreme Court so decided later.

Fortunately, the U.S. Supreme Court taught the Florida Supreme Court about Article II and the 14th Amendment. since then Democrats have howled about the "evil Supreme Court appointing Bush" over something as trivial as the Equal Protection clause of the Constitution.

[bourbon]

The New Deal was a bonfire of Constitutional limits on government power - worse than a billion burned flags. I'd salute a picture of a French mime if we had a government that actually respected the Constitution.

ROTFL. Funniest damn thing I've read in weeks!!! and a good point to boot! Keep 'em comin'!

[bourbon]

I like the young fellow who posted this thread...he's a homeboy.

LOL.....Yes! I've finally achieved homeboy status. Maybe someday I can be as (ahem) "cool" as the Icy Hot Stuntaz. Bling, bling!

[inquest]

The one on the right looks like he's a little cold.