Tuesday Open Thread
Welcome to your Tuesday open thread. Try not to hurt someone.
Gov. Chris Christie today made it illegal for state laws or rules to identify anyone with a developmental or intellectual disability as “mentally retarded” by signing legislation sought by people who have felt belittled by the term.
…
Christie said he regretted people had to wait so long to get the bill passed, and said he was proud to have signed it. “This is making sure each citizen in our state is treated with the respect they deserve … It’s their government, too,’’ he said.
The 81-page bill includes the citations in state law and regulations that have to be changed, including: “mentally retarded,” “physically handicapped,” “feeble-minded,’’ and “physically or mentally defective.” The law also applies to language involving people with mental illness, such as “the insane,” the “mentally deficient,” and “the mentally ill.”“Words matter – it’s that simple,’’ said Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester), one of the bill’s sponsors and the father of a daughter with a developmental disability. “We have a community of productive, hard-working citizens…The ‘R’ word should mean respect.”
The legislation (S1982) passed in June.
This is a bill that’s long past due as far as I’m concerned. This is one issue where I agree with Sarah Palin (before she undermined herself by not criticizing Rush Limbaugh’s use of the word as “satire” anyway) – let’s not belittle developmentally disabled people.
Yesterday the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals granted a stay of the Prop 8 decision in California pending an expedited appeal (until at least December 6). Significantly, cited in the court orders was that the appellants must show they have standing to ask for appeal of the decision:
Three things:
First, and drastically most importantly, the Court granted the stay. Consequently the thousands of couples who were waiting for the day of equality will have to wait at least a few more months until December.
Second, the Court wants this case to be resolved quickly. Appellants’ opening brief is due in just a month and the hearing will happen on December 6th. This is lightning quick for a Federal Court of Appeals, and it’s a very good sign. The Court understands that this case is important, and it doesn’t want it to linger.
Third, the Court specifically orders the Prop 8 proponents to show why this case should not be dismissed for lack of standing. Here’s a discussion of the standing issue. This is very good news for us. It shows that the Court has serious doubts about whether the Appellants have standing. Even better, the Court is expressing an opinion that its inclination is that the case should be dismissed. That being said, the panel that issued this Order (the motions panel) is not the same panel that will hear that case on the merits. The merits panel will be selected shortly before December 6th and we don’t know the three judges who will be on the merits panel. But this is a very good sign that the appeal could be dismissed on the ground of standing alone.
Unfortunately that means some couples in California will still have to wait. You can go to the Prop 8 Trial Tracker for up to the minute information on the case.
Tags: Open Thread
Prop 8 is reretartardedded.
One in 31 adults in America is in prison or jail, or on probation or parole. Twenty-five years ago, the rate was 1 in 77.
seems to be a link to a commercial. anyhoo, i wonder what percentage of those in jail are in on drug charges only related to the gange.
You gotta scroll down some.
But here’s another link which may answer your question regarding ganja-related incarceration with some musical accompaniment.
Excellent piece on tolerance from today’s Washington Post.
New Jersey’s order to change the language in existing law, statutes and regs to eliminate the disrespectful language is very good. Although I would note that if a Democratic Governor (or President) ordered the same thing the usual GOP suspects would be jumping up and down over the costs to do this.
today’s Wall Street Journal includes an opinion piece by Dick Armey and Matt Kibbe. It includes “But let us be clear about one thing: The tea party movement is not seeking a junior partnership with the Republican Party, but a hostile takeover of it.” The signoff notes “Mr. Armey, a former House Republican majority leader, is chairman of Freedomworks. Mr. Kibbe is president and CEO of Freedomworks. They are the authors of “Give Us Liberty: A Tea Party Manifesto,” out today from HarperCollins.”
Let me think, manifesto, that rings a bell. I’ve heard that word before.
Hey, are they communists or socialists??
Although I would note that your silence here is deafening when Obomba does the same exact things that you previously and rightfully eviscerated Bush for.
People who live in glass houses, etc,, etc.
“Scientists Say as Much as 79% of Oil Remains in Gulf of Mexico”
Gee, could BP (Barack Petroleum) be lying to us again? Naawwww….
“Most of the oil that leaked from BP’s Macondo well from April 20 to July 15 is still beneath the water’s surface, five scientists including Samantha Joye, a professor of marine sciences at the University of Georgia in Athens, concluded in a memo made public yesterday. The researchers say they drew upon the U.S. government’s study while reaching different conclusions.
The Obama administration’s Aug. 4 report indicated that almost three-fourths of the crude that leaked has disappeared or soon will be eaten by bacteria. Jane Lubchenco, administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has said at least half of the oil released is now “completely gone.”
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-17/scientists-say-79-of-spilled-oil-may-remain-challenging-administration.html
Thousands of dead fish washing up on Jersey Shore? No explanation found. Of course, it couldnt be the corexit. Even the seagulls who eat everything wont touch these dead fish.
Jersey fish kill explained here.
“The Gulf of Mexico oil spill still poses threats to human health and seafood safety, according to a study published Monday by the peer-reviewed Journal of the American Medical Association.
The report comes two days after President Obama and members of his family swam in the Gulf at Panama City Beach and ate fish caught there, and hours after this year’s commercial shrimping season officially kicked off along the Louisiana coast.”
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/08/17/99261/gulf-oil-spill-still-a-threat.html
So the teabaggers aren’t exactly opening their pockets to help out Bodenweiser. 30-day campaign finance reports show he’s gotten $1,570 in donations. The other $16,000 came from his own wallet.
Booth took in $7,450 and still has $27K on hand.
Only $1,570? That goes pretty far at DSW.