Recently I was asked to post something regarding same sex marriage. Since we have discussed same sex marriage in class when we covered the Full Faith and Credit Clause, I decided to re-post something I have blogged about before that directly relates to same sex marriage. On a side note, I saw yesterday that Neil Patrick Harris, formerly known as "Doogie Howser", is expecting twins with his partner this fall. The news caused a little firestorm of controversy, so this blog should fit right in!
Efforts to ban gay and lesbian couples from adoption are heating up all across America. Florida has banned same sex adoptions since 1977. In Mississippi, gay singles can adopt but gay couples can not. In Utah, all un-married couples are banned from adoption. Currently, sixteen additional states are considering bans of same sex adoptions, including Indiana.
Opponents of same sex adoptions, often say that children being raised with same-sex parents will have psychological issues, be bullied or teased at school, have unclear gender role models and perhaps even become gay or lesbian themselves.
Supporters of same sex adoptions include the National Adoption Center, the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association and the American Pediatrics, all of which state that adoptions by gay or lesbian couples do not negatively affect children.
The issue of same sex adoption is one that inspires debate across America and will probably be left up to the courts to decide, however one thing is clear: we all want what is best for our children. So my question to you this week is, “What do you think of same sex adoptions? Why do you feel the way you do?” Answers are due by Tuesday, August 24th.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
The Next Great Indy Artist
Do you know what an impact your creativity could have on your community? Most of you heard the story last week of how my car was broken into. I planned to blog this week about what seems to be a rise in crime in Indianapolis. As I was doing my research, I found one crime prevention method that seems to be working in several cities around the country: public art.
My first thought was of the electronic dancing people I’ve seen downtown. My second thought was, “How does public art relate to crime prevention”? Further research revealed what I should’ve already known. Public art gives young people something to do other than hang out in the streets. It can make neighborhoods nicer, increase property values, and attract new business, which brings new jobs. People that live in nice neighborhoods, are employed, and have enough money to raise a family are far less likely to commit crimes.
According to the Arts Council of Indianapolis, public art can take a variety of forms. Historically, art that is accessible to the public has been in the form of freestanding pieces of work or objects that occupy a public space, such as sculptures and memorials. Now, in a growing number of cities functional objects such as benches, trails, bridges and manhole covers can become commissioned works by artists.
Now those of you who know me, know that I am a big believer in giving back. Whether it’s volunteering someplace, helping someone in need, or contributing something to the community, my motto has always been to try and leave the world better than I found it. So in that same spirit, my question to you this week is “What kind of public art would you create in Indianapolis if money was no object? Where would it be located and what would its message be?" Think about it! Answers are due no later than Tuesday, August 17th, 2010.
My first thought was of the electronic dancing people I’ve seen downtown. My second thought was, “How does public art relate to crime prevention”? Further research revealed what I should’ve already known. Public art gives young people something to do other than hang out in the streets. It can make neighborhoods nicer, increase property values, and attract new business, which brings new jobs. People that live in nice neighborhoods, are employed, and have enough money to raise a family are far less likely to commit crimes.
According to the Arts Council of Indianapolis, public art can take a variety of forms. Historically, art that is accessible to the public has been in the form of freestanding pieces of work or objects that occupy a public space, such as sculptures and memorials. Now, in a growing number of cities functional objects such as benches, trails, bridges and manhole covers can become commissioned works by artists.
Now those of you who know me, know that I am a big believer in giving back. Whether it’s volunteering someplace, helping someone in need, or contributing something to the community, my motto has always been to try and leave the world better than I found it. So in that same spirit, my question to you this week is “What kind of public art would you create in Indianapolis if money was no object? Where would it be located and what would its message be?" Think about it! Answers are due no later than Tuesday, August 17th, 2010.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
We the Jury...
As I mentioned in class a few weeks ago, I received a jury summons for later this month. Now most people hate when they get the dreaded jury summons in the mail, but I am one of the few people who LOVE jury duty. Doing my civic duty, participating in our judicial process and getting a “free” day off of work, what could be better than that? If I could, I would give up both of my jobs and become a professional juror. Yes, I know, I am a weird political nerd!
Last time I served on a jury was several years ago. I seemed to be the only one on the jury that was excited to be there. Everyone else complained, whined and used every excuse in the book to try and get out of serving, and yes, they all thought I was a weird political nerd too.
With my impending service coming up, it got me thinking about why Americans are so apathetic when it comes to jury service. So my question to you this week is, “Why do you think most Americans don’t want to participate in jury duty? Be honest – would you try and get out of it if you were called? Why or why not?” Answers are due no later than Tuesday, August 10th, 2010.
Last time I served on a jury was several years ago. I seemed to be the only one on the jury that was excited to be there. Everyone else complained, whined and used every excuse in the book to try and get out of serving, and yes, they all thought I was a weird political nerd too.
With my impending service coming up, it got me thinking about why Americans are so apathetic when it comes to jury service. So my question to you this week is, “Why do you think most Americans don’t want to participate in jury duty? Be honest – would you try and get out of it if you were called? Why or why not?” Answers are due no later than Tuesday, August 10th, 2010.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Do We Really Support Our Troops?
A few weeks ago, I was watching an old episode of Boston Legal. My favorite character Alan Shore, played by James Spader, mentioned during a closing argument that in 2009, over 6,000 veterans committed suicide. That seemed like a pretty shocking statistic to me, so I decided to investigate further and what I found was appalling.
In December 2007, a Veteran Affairs (VA) internal memo written by the VA Mental Health Director said that there were 12,000 veterans attempting suicide every year. In addition, there were roughly 18 suicides per day, well over 6,000 per year, and these numbers don’t include servicemen and women on active duty. It seems the writers of Boston Legal got it right this time. The suicide rates are highest among male veterans of our current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which means for the most part, we are talking about young men in their twenties. Young men who should have their whole lives ahead of them, but for some reason feel suicide is their only option.
The Chief Clinical Psychologist for the Army Reserve and National Guard cites multiple and extended deployments as the cause. Many veterans return home suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injuries and/or depression. In many cases the VA has delayed or denied disability and medical claims from veterans because they are unable to prove that these conditions are “service-related”. When I read that, I literally felt sick.
Now I admit I’m not a big fan of our current wars. In fact, I’m not a big fan of war in general. That being said, I respect and honor those individuals who are willing to sacrifice their lives for our safety. I can’t believe that we are asking them to sacrifice so much, only to return to so little. So my question to you this week is, “What should be done to ensure veterans receive proper follow-up care when they return home? What can you personally do to support an Iraq/Afghanistan veteran?” Answers are due no later than Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010.
In December 2007, a Veteran Affairs (VA) internal memo written by the VA Mental Health Director said that there were 12,000 veterans attempting suicide every year. In addition, there were roughly 18 suicides per day, well over 6,000 per year, and these numbers don’t include servicemen and women on active duty. It seems the writers of Boston Legal got it right this time. The suicide rates are highest among male veterans of our current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which means for the most part, we are talking about young men in their twenties. Young men who should have their whole lives ahead of them, but for some reason feel suicide is their only option.
The Chief Clinical Psychologist for the Army Reserve and National Guard cites multiple and extended deployments as the cause. Many veterans return home suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injuries and/or depression. In many cases the VA has delayed or denied disability and medical claims from veterans because they are unable to prove that these conditions are “service-related”. When I read that, I literally felt sick.
Now I admit I’m not a big fan of our current wars. In fact, I’m not a big fan of war in general. That being said, I respect and honor those individuals who are willing to sacrifice their lives for our safety. I can’t believe that we are asking them to sacrifice so much, only to return to so little. So my question to you this week is, “What should be done to ensure veterans receive proper follow-up care when they return home? What can you personally do to support an Iraq/Afghanistan veteran?” Answers are due no later than Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Who is Elena Kagan?
On Tuesday, Elena Kagan moved one step closer to becoming he third woman on the United States Supreme Court when the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to endorse her nomination. The committee's vote sends Kagan's nomination to the full senate for debate and vote. She is widely expected to win confirmation. Kagan has already shattered glass ceilings for women in the law. She was the first woman U.S. Solicitor General and the first woman Dean of Harvard Law School.
In this class we will study the Supreme Court and how they interpret the public policy that governs us all. Supreme Court justices serve for life, so their views can have an impact far into the future, yet most people know little about them.
My assignment to you this week is two-fold. First, I would like you to post one interesting fact about Elena Kagan. You can do this through a quick search on the Internet. You may not post something that has already been mentioned by someone else. Second, I would like to know, "If you were a Supreme Court Justice, what would be one law that you would want to change in America"? Answers are due no later than Tuesday, July 27th, 2010.
In this class we will study the Supreme Court and how they interpret the public policy that governs us all. Supreme Court justices serve for life, so their views can have an impact far into the future, yet most people know little about them.
My assignment to you this week is two-fold. First, I would like you to post one interesting fact about Elena Kagan. You can do this through a quick search on the Internet. You may not post something that has already been mentioned by someone else. Second, I would like to know, "If you were a Supreme Court Justice, what would be one law that you would want to change in America"? Answers are due no later than Tuesday, July 27th, 2010.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Bringing Oil to America's Shores
We all know about the Gulf Oil spill which occurred after an explosion at the Deepwater Horizon Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit on April 20, 2010. The explosion killed eleven workers, injured seventeen others and set off what has turned out to be the largest environmental disaster in United States history. Although hearing about the spill is almost unavoidable on the news, it is easy to not give it too much thought when you live in a land-locked state like Indiana.
Recently, I heard a news commentator say that the Gulf of Mexico as we know it, will never been the same again in our lifetime. I immediately thought of my childhood memory of swimming in the warm waters of the Gulf and how excited I was to see such a vast body of water for the first time. For some reason, the effect of the spill really dawned on me that day – and it made me very, very sad.
No one really knows how much oil has been spewing into the Gulf these last few months. The Department of Energy estimates 1.4 million gallons/day, BP estimates a “worst case” scenario of 2.5 million gallons/day and many experts agree it could be as high as 4.2 million gallons/day. At the time of this writing, by the lowest estimates approximately 85 million gallons of oil have spilled in to the Gulf already and that number continues to grow daily. To see current, live feed of the oil spill, please access the following link:
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/05/view_live_video_feed_of_bp_gul.html
So, my question to you this week is, “How should we go about “cleaning up” this disaster, and what can we do to prevent disasters such as this in the future?” Answers are due no later than Tuesday, July 20th, 2010. My heart and prayers go out to our fellow Americans affected by this disaster. To donate to the wildlife rescue, please go to: http://www.nwrawildlife.org/
Recently, I heard a news commentator say that the Gulf of Mexico as we know it, will never been the same again in our lifetime. I immediately thought of my childhood memory of swimming in the warm waters of the Gulf and how excited I was to see such a vast body of water for the first time. For some reason, the effect of the spill really dawned on me that day – and it made me very, very sad.
No one really knows how much oil has been spewing into the Gulf these last few months. The Department of Energy estimates 1.4 million gallons/day, BP estimates a “worst case” scenario of 2.5 million gallons/day and many experts agree it could be as high as 4.2 million gallons/day. At the time of this writing, by the lowest estimates approximately 85 million gallons of oil have spilled in to the Gulf already and that number continues to grow daily. To see current, live feed of the oil spill, please access the following link:
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/05/view_live_video_feed_of_bp_gul.html
So, my question to you this week is, “How should we go about “cleaning up” this disaster, and what can we do to prevent disasters such as this in the future?” Answers are due no later than Tuesday, July 20th, 2010. My heart and prayers go out to our fellow Americans affected by this disaster. To donate to the wildlife rescue, please go to: http://www.nwrawildlife.org/
Monday, June 7, 2010
Your Thoughts and Feedback are Appreciated!
Wow! I can't believe another quarter has already gone by. I guess time flies when you're having fun! I had a really good time this quarter; reconnecting with students I've already had in other courses, and meeting some of you for the first time. I wish you much success in your future endeavors and hope that you stay in touch with me.
For our final blog post, I would like to get your thoughts and feedback on the class. "What did you like or dislike about the class? What could I do to make the class better?" Answers are due no later than Sunday, June 13th, 2010. After that the blog will be down until summer quarter begins. Congratulations to those of you who are graduating! For everyone else, have a happy and safe summer break!
For our final blog post, I would like to get your thoughts and feedback on the class. "What did you like or dislike about the class? What could I do to make the class better?" Answers are due no later than Sunday, June 13th, 2010. After that the blog will be down until summer quarter begins. Congratulations to those of you who are graduating! For everyone else, have a happy and safe summer break!
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