By Robert Daniel A. Tumbling Down Bronze meets the dirt. On August 20, 2018, protesters forced “Silent Sam” down to the ground. In 1913, the Daughters of the Confederacy erected the statue in memory of UNC students who fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War. Silent Sam has been a point of controversy …
Happy Monday Morning! Hope everyone is falling in love with this amazing fall weather! Here is your most recent First Amendment news to enjoy while sipping that pumpkin spice latte! Carolina Panthers Coach Ron Rivera defended the new player, Eric Reid’s decision to continue protesting by kneeling during the national anthem. Reid stated that “I believe …
The Supreme Court recently held in Janus v. AFSCME, Council 31that a state law requiring non-union workers to subsidize public union activities violates the free speech rights of non-members by forcing them to subsidize private speech regarding matters of public concern. Despite the obvious, this decision does not have to be a disaster for public …
Happy Hump Day Everybody! Hope all had a nice Labor Day weekend. Read now to catch up on First Amendment news. Federal Courts The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that feeding the homeless is “expressive conduct protected by the First Amendment,” in Fort Lauderdale Food Not Bombs v. City of Fort Lauderdale. …
School is back in session, but not without controversy. As the 2017-2018 school year ended and summer began the protests surrounding the controversial Confederate monument, Silent Sam died down. Last night on the eve of the 2018-2019 school year Silent Sam came crashing down. Chancellor Carol L. Folt released a statement that “Last night’s actions were unlawful …
Hope everyone has had an enjoyable summer vacation!! It’s been a hot one and not just because of the weather outside. Here is a quick report of First Amendment news that has got tempers and temperatures in D.C. heating up. President Trump has not hidden his distaste with US news media. He has referred to …
Picture by Vvzvlad (Flickr: Liberator.3d.gun.vv.01), via Wikimedia Commons Federal News: The Fourth Circuit ruled the town of Mocksville violated the First Amendment rights of three police officers who were fired in 2011 after they tried to report allegations of corruption in the Mocksville Police Department to state agencies. Federal Judge in Seattle issued a temporary …
Federal News: The United States Supreme Court held a Minnesota law which banned political apparel at the voting booth in violates the First Amendment. In Lozman v. Riveria Beach the United States Supreme Court held that is possible Florida resident, Fane Lozman’s arrest could have violated the First Amendment. Lozman was arrested after speaking out at a …
The Feast is Over The Supreme Court recently held in Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission that an adjudicatory body’s religiously hostile acts, regarding a cake shop owner’s reasons for declining to make a cake for a same-sex couple’s wedding, violated the free exercise clause. I argued in Masterpiece Cake Shop: A Recipe for …
Photo Credit: Courtesy of torbakhopper By Emma Ferriola-Bruckenstein, Staff Member (Vol. 16) Gender and transgender identity has been in the news frequently over the past few years, from the rise of “bathroom bills” like North Carolina’s House Bill 2 to the threat of a “trans ban” in the military. These issues have generated headlines around …