News Miner 68
303 case, LGBTQ history, crime, transparency, Republicans, internment, nuclear fracking, birth control, and more.
303 Case: CPR has a helpful interview about the 303 Creative case, from a critical perspective, with Kyle Velte, who “teaches at the University of Kansas School of Law and is a former president of the Colorado LGBTQ Bar Association.” For a good supportive take, see David French. Chris Marchese has some interesting comments. See also Kristen Waggoner and Erin Hawley’s take on the “fake case” accusations. NBC also has a good article. In related news . . . There’s a case in Michigan in which a salon owner refuses to serve transgender people. But the recent court decision would apply only if a specific haircut were deemed “expressive.” Kyle Clark inaccurately claimed that the court decision allows a business to hang a “sign saying which groups they will and will not serve.” No; the decision applies only to expressive products, not to general discrimination against groups.
LGBTQ: Ryan Warner: “For a long time, gay people were considered mentally ill. They were subjected to lobotomies and chemical castration. At the urging of one of her students, research psychologist Dr. Evelyn Hooker decided to test this theory, against not only the scientific establishment of the 1950s, but political and societal ones as well.”
Sustainable Growth: There’s a new group advocating “sustainable growth.” I worry here that “sustainable” is euphemism for “no” or “very little.”
Crime: Look, self-defense is not hunting down and killing people for committing property crimes.
Crime II: King Soopers fired an employee for filming someone shoplifting. Jon Caldara is among those criticizing the store. See also a previous case.
Schools: CPR: “Supporters rally to demand Denver Public Schools reinstate middle school principal fired after raising safety concerns.” See also Chalkbeat’s story.
Transparency: Young: “Democrats and Republicans in the Colorado House of Representatives are responsible for what could be the most brazen and persistent violation of the Colorado open meetings law since voters adopted it more than half a century ago.” See also the statement by Elisabeth Epps and Robert Marshall, who lodged the lawsuit in question.
GOP: The state Republican Party continues to attack Roger Hudson, the Deputy Chief of Staff for House Republicans. Hudson says that, despite claims to the contrary by the state party, “I have never wavered from my belief that NO child should make the adult decision to surgically alter or chemically change their sex.” (I think that’s the wrong position.) See also Dick Wadhams’s harsh but fair critique of state chair Dave Williams.
Internment: Former law professor Rob Natelson discusses the Supreme Court’s complicity in the unjust internment of Japanese Americans. Natelson also discusses the matter in a lengthy essay. See also Adam Schrager’s book The Principled Politician: Governor Ralph Carr and the Fight against Japanese American Internment.
Nuclear Fracking: Yes, a Colorado company once tried this!
Control Freaks: Some voters of Timnath effectively prevented a golf center from opening by outlawing tall net fences. How about . . . mind your own fucking business?
Submarine: Sherrie Peif quotes me regarding Stephanie Vigil’s disparaging remarks about the people who died in the submarine.
Freedom to Sell Cars: “Rivian wins big as Colorado passes electric vehicle direct sales law.” Jared Polis commented, “In Colorado we are working to expand new channels for manufacturers to sell directly to consumers, this bill was unfortunately weakened but still a step forward rather than backwards.”
Rock Bottoms: Scott Bottoms, who recently called Democratic colleagues “pedophiles,” is a horrible and viciously dishonest person.
Housing: Montana Republicans were more successful than Colorado Democrats at freeing up the housing market.
Immigrants: Hindi: “Immigration advocacy groups allege abuse of solitary confinement and discrimination against people with disabilities at the Aurora immigration detention center.” Why again are we treating immigrants like criminals?
Birth Control: John Hickenlooper, Jared Polis, Brittany Pettersen are among those praising the FDA’s decision to make a birth-control drug available over the counter. But let’s do remember that Congress is responsible for restricting our access to medications in the first place.