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Supreme court paroles juveniles

The U.S. Supreme Court, which has in recent years been overwhelming conservative in its decisions, showed signs of humanity when it ruled that juvenile offenders under 17 could no longer be sentenced to life without parole for crimes that didn’t result in a death.

GregMathisbox

Calling such sentences cruel and unusual punishment, and in violation of the Constitution’s Eighth Amendment, the justices ruled 6-3 in favor of putting an end to judicial punishments that give offenders no hope of a life after prison. Even Chief Justice John Roberts, a notorious conservative appointed by President George W. Bush, ruled on the side of what’s fair and decent.

Last Updated on Monday, 03 December 2012 19:28

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The ‘Am Nasty’ debate

I am really getting fed up with my liberal friends saying that because I am against amnesty for illegals, I am nasty! Unfortunately, our society has devolved into a mindset where if you disagree with someone, you must have bad motives.

raynardjackson

The pro-amnesty crowd is up in arms over the recently passed Arizona bill that takes a very tough line on illegals. Their contention is that it will lead to racial profiling. I challenge anyone with a brain to actually read the law and come to that conclusion. But, they assert that if a person is “legitimately” stopped by law enforcement and is then found to be illegal, they would not have an issue with the person being brought before an immigration court.

Last Updated on Monday, 03 December 2012 19:28

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Guest editorials...Sexualization of ­children, teens

The World of Dance competition held in Los Angeles recently ignited a firestorm of controversy when video footage of a performance by five 7-year-olds, scantily dressed and bumping and grinding to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” showed up on the Internet. The two-minute performance has been uploaded to thousands of sites, including YouTube, which has seen more than 100,000 views. But while some laud over the “tremendous dance techniques” of the grammar school-aged girls, others have derived sexual excitement and pleasure from it. The parents of the girls have “no comment”.

Last Updated on Monday, 03 December 2012 19:28

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Guest editorials...From Exxon Valdez to BP

by Jamala Rogers

The ghosts of the Exxon Valdez environmental disaster seem to be floating around the Gulf Coast these days. EV is one of the country’s largest oil spills yet most of us have vague memories of the 1989 man-made catastrophe—except the victimized citizens and 1,300 miles of Alaskan coastline.

The disaster resulted in 11 million gallons of crude oil seeping into Alaskan waters, killing wildlife and a way of life. The cost of the cleanup was about $2.1 billion while the impact on living things was incalculable.

Last Updated on Monday, 03 December 2012 19:28

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How about getting a Black on the Supreme Court?

(NNPA)—It’s been a long time since Thurgood Marshall served on the highest court in the land. I think it’s time we get another Black person on the bench. We have a “Black” president who has now nominated two females, one White and Jewish, and one Hispanic and Catholic. Now we have six Catholics and three Jews on the court, and no Blacks or so-called Protestants, the most prevalent religious segment in the United States. Hmmm.

JamesClingmanbox

You would think that after all Black people have done for this country, there would be a continuous effort to keep at least one Black person on the highest court in the land. Considering all we have sacrificed for this country, it is reasonable to assume that any fair-minded government leader would make every effort to appoint and maintain one Black to the Supremes.

Last Updated on Monday, 03 December 2012 19:28

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